The Mighty Fall
by jackpittgregor
Summary: Natasha arrives in Asgard after Loki's capture in the Avengers to request his help.
1. Chapter 1

Ten months, six days and twenty-seven minutes that was how long he had been residing inside of these alabaster walls. It was a large enough chamber filled with all the amenities that would befit the sitting room of a royal prince. It housed a comfortable chair, a book case packed with leather bound volumes, a small desk and even an easel if he ever wished to take up the hobby once again that he had so fancied in his youth. A chestnut table reposed in the adjacent corner with a pitcher of water and a porcelain bowl filled with the finest fruits that Asgard had to offer. There was a long lush couch that lined the far wall which, of course, was in fact where he slept since this was not a sitting room at all but the meticulously crafted cell that he was to spend out the rest of his days. Loki knew that all of this stately luxury was just a part of the personal taunt from Odin. A royal chamber fit for a king as his confinement complete with a glass wall to give the passerby's a perfect view of the fallen prince.

He would have preferred tortures in the darkened dungeons than this humiliation. He was nothing more than a spectacle for the Aesir to gawk at. He was truly no more than another old relic that the All-Father was stowing away for the moment that he might finally have a use for him after all. Odin never once came down to visit him since he had been sentenced and neither had Thor. His mother, on the other hand, would not be deterred. No matter how often he told her to leave him alone. She insisted on coming every day without fail to sit outside his cell. She would speak to him while he pretended to ignore her and read a book. It was a daily ritual. The woman was relentless. She would tell him about her day or reminisce about his youth. Insisting on continuing to play the part of the dutiful mother but he refused to cave in to sentiment. Too many things had happened in the years since he discovered the truth of his parentage. He had hardened his heart long ago. It was as frozen as the lands of his birth. There was no room in it anymore for anything but hatred and a longing for revenge.

Loki sneered at the soldiers as they passed by on their usual rounds before strutting back towards the serving table. He trailed his long, slender fingers along the fruit. The meals were replenished at timely intervals conjured by the magic of his most gracious host. His own powers were impeded by the walls around him. He could still conjure things himself albeit nothing that would aid him in escape or cause physical harm to him or others. No this cell was the perfect holding place for one such as he. The All-Father had thought of every contingency it seemed.

Loki tilted his head as he heard the soft sound of a woman's gate descending down the hallway. He exhaled audibly. Was it that time again already? He reclined against the couch; his legs crossed in front of him as he opened his palms and conjured a new book. He began to read although he knew that the moment that his mother's voice reached his ears that he would be unable to concentrate. Still he would not move his gaze from the pages in front of him. He would never again be the weak fool that had been so desperate for the approval of his faux family.

He could sense her appearance out of the corner of his eye as she stood in front of the glass wall. She remained standing. It was the first oddity that he discerned as he attempted to read the initial line of the volume that he held in front of him. A guard always brought a chair for her. She always sat. Sometimes she even did needle point as she carried on her one way conversation. Occasionally she even drew pictures to pass the time. A love of drawing and paints had been something that he and his mother had both shared. The silence began to grate on his nerves. What was she up to? Why wasn't she speaking or sitting down? Why was she simply standing there staring at him so quietly? His curiosity got the best of him as he finally turned away from his book and looked up at the figure in front of him. His dark green eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of the woman before him.

Her hair was much longer than when he had seen her last. The long, red curls fell well past her shoulders as she stood there scrutinizing him with her cold, blue gaze. She was dressed in the fashion of an Asgardian warrior. She wore a pale lavender silk shift with long sleeves underneath a dark purple tunic that was cinched at the waist with a deep blue belt. It accentuated the natural curves of her figure in the most enticing of ways. Loki found himself licking his lips subconsciously as his gaze travelled down her body to the tight grey pants and knee high black boots that molded so sensuously against her legs. If it was possible she had grown even more beautiful than when he had seen her last. He immediately abraded himself internally for the thought. She was nothing but a lowly mortal not even worth a second glance. Yet, that did nothing to stop the myriad of lustful thoughts that had flooded him at her presence. He narrowed his eyes as he forced himself to concentrate on more pressing matters. Namely what was an Avenger doing in this realm? He couldn't imagine what in the world this mortal woman would be doing in Asgard at all. Let alone standing in front of him.

"Agent Romanoff to what do I owe the immense displeasure of your company?" Loki drawled in his silky accent as he rested the open book in his lap. Her lips upturned in the faintest of smiles as she took a step closer.

"As charming as ever," Natasha remarked coolly. "Is this what passes for a prison here? It looks more like the bedroom of a pampered prince to me."

"Would you like to switch places?" the trickster smiled evilly as he continued to recline along the soft cushion of the sofa. He remembered vividly their initial meeting upon the helicarrier. He had thought that he had beaten her, sliced open her fears and left her broken and bare but it had all been a ruse. It had been no more than a clever manipulation to retrieve information from him. She had won that battle but she wouldn't win the war, he thought ominously. The image of her standing above him with the rest of her cohorts while she held his scepter in her hands was forever burned in his brain. She had been a tiny thorn in his side all throughout his excursion on Midgard. He could still recall her whispering in the ear of the archer before Thor had taken him from that realm handcuffed and muzzled like a common criminal. She had probably been gloating no doubt, making some stupid Midgardian jest at his expense. He would be the one to have the last laugh. Not just in regards to this peddling mortal but for everyone who had crossed him. He was a patient man and his moment would come.

"Let's skip the small talk," the black widow stated in her emotionless tone. "I've come a long way and for a very specific reason. I need your help."

"Eh heh heh heh," the young god laughed mirthfully as he tossed the book onto the couch and rose to a sitting position. "You must be truly desperate to come to me for help."

"Yes, the situation is very dire or I wouldn't be here," Natasha admitted honestly, her fingertips grazing lightly over the glass. He couldn't help but wonder what they would feel like moving across his skin. "There was a battle with Hydra..."

"What is Hydra?" Loki interrupted, annoyed that he was allowing himself to be lured in by her appearance. He was above such carnal distractions.

"It is a criminal organization that we have been coming to blows with on and off for years." The black widow divulged. He could see the strength and determination in her sapphire eyes. For a woman who was so far away from her own universe she showed no sign of nervousness or trepidation. He couldn't help but be impressed by her demeanor albeit reluctantly. "In our latest confrontation they injected two of our men with a strange poison. We were able to stop the threat against our country and complete our mission but our scientists can't create a serum to fix what ails my comrades. They can soothe some of the symptoms and give them a few extra months but if we don't get the proper remedy then they will die. I need you to assist me in getting the cure."

"The death of two men? This is the reason that you've crossed realms and stand in front of the lion's den?" Loki smirked. "I'm sure you can find two suitable replacements to fill their positions."

"I'm willing to offer you a deal," Natasha continued ignoring his remark. "I need you to take me to Muspelheim. There is a blue flower called the flamedragon that is indigenous to that realm with it we can make the medicine that they need. Help me and you will have your freedom."

"Why do I find it so hard to believe that the All-Father would be willing to release me in exchange for the life of two petty humans?" the trickster rasped, indignantly. What kind of fool did she think he was? And what was the point of all this really?

"You're right. Odin doesn't believe that the need of so few is worth such a great risk but lucky for you Fury has different ideas." Natasha revealed as she raised her hands in the air slightly and turned around for a moment as if to draw attention to her appearance. "Why do you think I'm dressed like this? I didn't receive permission from Odin to be here. He already turned me down just as Fury figured he would. It is your mother that snuck me in to see you. She thinks you deserve the chance to prove you can change."

"You mean she wishes for me to change backwards, to regress into the shadows as the lowly second son." Loki hissed as he rose up and strutted toward the glass. "Well, no thank you. Besides, this exchange is pointless without Odin's consent this confinement of mine cannot be opened." He watched as she pulled a tiny pin from her belt and etched the shape of a small square along the clear partition. The glass evaporated on contact. Loki stuck his finger along the edge of the small hole that she had made in his cell as he quirked an eyebrow in disbelief. "Interesting trick but it is a little too small to be of much assistance to me."

"Give me your word that you will help me get the ingredients that I need and bring the cure back to Earth and I will open it completely." Natasha offered as she stared at him stonily.

"My word? You are going to open this door simply on my word?" the trickster inquired skeptically. "Tell me who these two men are that Shield could be so destitute to have you make such an offer?"

"Does it matter? Your freedom for your promise and a handshake," the black widow reiterated with a sideways smile as she put her hand through the small opening. "That's how we seal the deal on Earth. Your mother tells me that you are a man of your word or at least you used to be and since I'm low on options I'm willing to take the chance. Besides, you won't get past the corridor without my help. The wards on your magic are not just inside there or didn't you know that?" His emerald eyes scrutinized her hand as she dangled it in front of him waiting for him to grasp it. How far reaching were the binding spells that the All-Father had laid out against his use of magic? The moment that he felt his full strength returning to him, she could forget about him lifting a finger to help her or her sickly friends.

"It might not matter but I want to know," Loki contended. His voice as smooth as silk as he stared down at his right hand and debated his options.

"Steve Rogers and Clint Barton," Natasha answered her voice betraying the first hint of honest emotion that he had ever heard from her lips. "Now do we have a deal or not?"

"It is a deal. You have my word." He smiled with a devilish glint in his eyes as he enclosed his hand around hers. "When do we start?" A sudden pain shot through his arm as he released her hand abruptly and stared down at his palm. A strange ruin appeared like a dragon made out of fire. "What in the name of Hel is this?" he seethed.

"It's your promise. A gift from your mother," Natasha revealed in her usual stoic demeanor as she began to trace the remaining glass with the magical pin that she held in her hand. "You are tied to me now by your word. The moment you break our deal than you will be sent back here but if you help me and my friends live than I will give you your freedom just like I promised." Frigga had placed some sort of enchantment on the black widow's hand. Tied to her? What exactly did that mean? He stepped through the opening that she made and his blood began to boil with even greater umbrage the moment his feet touched down on the marbled surface.

"There were no wards outside of that prison." His voice near shaking in his anger and irritation at having fallen so easily for her little ruse. He could feel his full magic returned to him on the instant that he passed through her magical opening.

"No but I'd be careful what you do with your new found power, Loki," Natasha grinned. "Remember if you break your promise to me you will be right back inside there. Isn't magic fun? We should probably get going before the guards return. Follow me, Frigga showed me a hidden way out of here. You are no use to me if you get yourself caught so soon."

"Be careful, little spider," Loki snipped as he loomed over her. "There won't be anything stopping me from squashing you once we've cured your friends of their ailment."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 –

Loki traced the pattern of the flames with his finger. The intricate markings of red, orange and yellow that burst across his palm were a constant reminder of how she had once again tricked the Trickster. And this time it had been with the help of his mother of all people. The flaming dragon seemed to be in mid-flight as if it was about to launch itself from his hand at any moment. Of course, that was only wishful thinking on his part. He was branded with this mystical tattoo and it would not dissolve from his flesh until their bargain was completed.

Its glowing eyes and open mouth gave the impression of mockery as if the beast was taunting him for his foolishness in undervaluing the shrewdness of the Black Widow once more. It irritated him to no end. Not only that he had been beaten at his own game of manipulation but that he had lost to her. He could still feel the sting of her words to him from their first tête-à-tête. 'Thank you for your cooperation.' The smugness in her voice when she had walked away from him was hard to forget and now his fate was tied to hers. If he didn't help her than he would be back inside that tedious cell until another chance at freedom presented itself. Freedom, he laughed to himself. He might be physically free but he was bound to this woman as sure as if he was still enclosed inside those prison walls. Nevertheless, he thought slyly, he might not be able to harm her but that didn't prevent him from getting under her skin. Perhaps, it was his turn to be the thorn in her side. He glanced up as his dark green eyes began to observe the woman in front of him. Yes, he was sure he could find a way to bring her as much torment as she had brought to him.

"Your mother told me that she could keep Heimdall distracted long enough for me to get you through this tunnel." The black widow stated in her authoritative tone which aggravated him to no end. Who did this diminutive mortal think she was to speak to him in such a manner? She reached behind a small boulder near the exit of the cave and pulled out a brown knapsack that had been hidden there. "We have to assume that they will be noticing your absence fairly soon. Is there anything that you can do to throw them off our scent?"

"I shaded us from the gate keeper's prying eyes the moment that I stepped free of my luxurious cage," he scoffed as he continued to watch her carefully. "What kind of fool do you think I am?"

"The kind of fool that would underestimate me not once but twice," Natasha smirked as she opened the bag before setting it on top of a larger stone. She reached inside and drew out two black bracelets that she slid upon each wrist. He watched as she bent her leg and rested the heel of her shoe against the boulder. The young god felt his breath hitch as he became lost in the movements of her body. She pushed her knee forward while she attached the fasteners of the sheath that contained a long dagger. He could see the bronze hilt peeking above the leather casing. He couldn't help but let his gaze linger along the sexy outline of her thigh and the sway of her hip as she tightened the straps of the holder over her boot. She had incredible legs which were only more pronounced with each shift of her torso as she secured the weapon to her body. He could only imagine what they would feel like wrapped around him. The thought of which made his own body twitch with a craving that he very much did not want to possess. Her dark blue eyes took a glance upward and caught sight of his. She quirked an eyebrow at him as if she knew what he had been thinking before she returned to her work. Natasha withdrew a holster from her duffel bag complete with two guns and cinched it around her waist. The demigod released a slight breath that he hadn't even realized that he'd been holding as he tried to think of other things.

"Just how many weapons do you have in there?" he snipped. She picked up the backpack and slid her arms through the straps, pulling it up to her shoulders with a quick shimmy of her upper body. The action drew his attention to the swell of her breasts beneath the dark purple fabric of her tunic. Loki tried to pry his gaze away from her but he couldn't seem to do it. The sudden image of her naked and beneath him flooded his mind. He shook his head against the idea as he ran his fingers through his long, ebony hair. She was a gorgeous specimen of the female form. He couldn't deny that but just because she was aesthetically pleasing was no reason for him to lose his wits. He had no interest in any lowly mortal but especially not this willful nuisance in front of him.

"I always come prepared," she stated flatly as she took a step closer to him. "So what is your plan for getting us to Muspelheim?"

"There is a magical passage to that realm located halfway between Skornheim and Nidavellir. We will have to ride there," Loki revealed as he casted his spell with a flourish of his hands. The young god looked on proudly as the two stallions materialized out of thin air. The first horse was dark ebony and the other was a chestnut brown. He quickly mounted the sleek black steed and waited for the former assassin to do the same but she did not move. Her sapphire eyes were glued to the mount as it stomped its foot impatiently awaiting its rider. "What is it? Please tell me you know how to ride a horse? They do have these beasts of burden in Midgard do they not?" The mischievous prince rolled his eyes as he watched the foreboding aura in her stance while she made a tentative move towards the animal. "Oh, please, you've got to be kidding me," he drawled as he shook his head in disbelief. He extended his palm down toward her while the chestnut horse disappeared into thin air. "Take my hand."

"What did you do that for?" Natasha protested though he could see the tension dissipate from her body the moment that she realized that she wasn't going to have to attempt to mount the animal after all. "I was about to get on it."

"As much as the thought of you breaking your neck might appeal to me, I'm not quite sure if the fact that I conjured the animal that caused your demise might not make it my fault and thereby negate our deal." Loki gave her a predatory smile as he continued to hold out his hand toward her. "And I'm not going to take the chance. I have no intention of returning to the All-Father's royal suite so you will ride with me, little spider." She took his hand with no further objection as he hauled her up to sit behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her hands against his chest. With a quick snap of the reins the horse took off at a full gallop. He could feel her sweetly curved mounds pressed against his back as she held him tighter with each sprint of the stallion's legs. Between that and the feel of her fingertips rubbing gently against his chest over the soft cotton fabric of his green shirt, it was more than a little distracting. He began to rethink the wisdom behind doing away with the second mount as he felt the way her nearness affected him. He found himself wishing that he was wearing his full princely armor to place a much thicker barrier between them instead of the simple shirt and thin leather vest that had been his attire during his imprisonment. The feel of her body so close was beginning to make his own tremble with want.

"Can you not hold on so tightly," he bit off crossly. "As amusing as your apparent fears of this docile animal are, I prefer not to be so close to a mere human." He felt her hold loosen immediately as her hands moved to rest almost imperceptibly against his hips.

"I'm not scared," she pronounced, her voice like ice but her breath was hot against his neck as he tightened his grip on the reins. "You pompous Jackass." A wind that blew from the east caused her lush, red curls to flitter across his cheek as the strawberry locks fell against his shoulder. He could easily envision how exquisite her hair would feel splayed over his chest in the throes of passion. What was wrong with him? He needed to stop these incessant erotic notions that were plaguing him. He couldn't stand this woman, not in the slightest. The stallion leaped over a fallen log causing the Black Widow to clutch him once more.

"Whoa!" Loki shouted as he pulled back firmly on the reins and dismounted the horse as fast as was physically possible.

"Have we reached the passage already?" Natasha inquired skeptically as she stared down at him while he held the horses bridle.

"We are nowhere near it," the young god rasped as he sucked in a breath and took a glance around the landscape.

"Then why are we stopping?" she probed. She placed her arms cautiously around the stallion's neck as she slid off its back gingerly. How could the same woman who he watched battle a fleet of Chitauri be so skittish about this passive animal? If he didn't know better he would wonder if this wasn't all just some sort of subterfuge to drive him crazy with her close proximity. "This mission is on a very specific time table. My friend's lives are at stake. I don't have time for your games."

"I need to water the horse," he lied as his emerald eyes spotted a small stream a few yards away. The truth was that he needed to place some distance between them. He needed to straighten out his thoughts and clear his head. He strutted towards the small waterway but solitude was apparently not something that she was willing to give him as she followed close behind. "If I remember correctly, the promise that I agreed to was to get the ingredients that you needed and bring the cure back to your pitiful little planet." His fingers running through the horse's mane in a soothing gesture as it dipped its mouth to take in a drink of water. "In which case it matters not if we make it in time to save those two fool friends of yours. At least it matters not to me or to our bargain." He tilted his head slightly so that he could look her in the eyes. She was so calm and apparantly impossible to crack. He hated the fact that his insides seemed to melt like jelly by the mere brush of her fingers while he could barely instigate the faintest change in her cool exterior. Her nervousness over the horse was the only chink he had been able to find in her armor and that victory was earned by the stallion at his side not him. "I hope that your precious Barton dies a slow and painful death. I hope that when we arrive with the cure in your hands that we find that you were but the barest of minutes too late to save him." He cocked a brow and winked at her. "Oh, yes, that will please me greatly."

"I'm not sure what your mother sees in you," Natasha contemplated in her emotionless tone. He turned back towards his steed. His own impenetrable façade firmly in place. "It's obvious that the man that she spoke of to me doesn't really exist. I feel sorry for her. One day she will have to face the truth and it will break her heart."

"Get back on the horse," Loki commanded. "Go on… put your foot in the stirrup and I'll help push you up. We've dallied here long enough."

"Aren't you going to get on first?" she probed meekly. It was just the slightest hint of nerves and it had nothing to do with him but it would have to do for now as he flashed his signature smirk at her distress.

"No, this time you're first. I'll be holding the reins and you can latch onto his mane and neck to your heart's content." He explained as he watched her pull herself up into the saddle. He climbed up behind her and gave the stallion a quick tap to begin a trot. He quickly realized that their positions didn't matter much in easing the tension that filled his bones. She was no longer clinging to him but their bodies were still touching, her hair continually brushed against his lips and he was forced to place his arms against her hips so that he could hold onto the reins. The up and down motion of riding was awfully reminiscent of a more intimate type of movement and he found himself gritting his teeth to keep from sighing out loud. He decided to list in his mind every single thing that he despised about her but the faint scent of her perfume was getting in the way of his concentration. "Here put your right hand on the lead," he exhaled slowly as he struggled to maintain his composure. He couldn't possibly make it all the way to Nidavellir this way. He was going to have to teach her how to ride a horse that was all there was to it.

"Why in the world would I do that?" she gaped as she continued to hug the horse for dear life. She was lucky he had conjured such a submissive animal or it would probably be as fed up with her by now as he was.

"We could get there much faster if you knew how to ride," Loki lied. One horse or two would make no change in the travel time. "Just do as I say so that you can get the feel of it."

She moved one hand hesitantly to hold the leather strap as he instructed but stopped before her fingers touched the rein. The black widow quickly brought her hand back to the horse's mane holding it tightly as she had before. "I'll lose my balance that way." She disputed vehemently.

"You won't fall," he promised as he slid one arm around her waist protectively. "See… you can't lose your balance. Now just do it already." She nodded as she once again attempted to take hold of the rein as he had requested. "See that's not so hard is it, little spider?" he smiled as he rested his chin along her shoulder. He reasoned that it gave him a better view of her grip on the reins and had nothing to do with how good it felt. He could see the slightest of smiles ghost along her lips as she gazed at the point where her hand held the leather lead. He wasn't sure why the sight pleased him so but it did.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 –

"A very gentle tug like this and then apply pressure against the horse with your left leg at the same time the way that I am. It is important to understand that the motions are executed in unison," Loki directed as he enclosed his hand over hers so that they were both holding the left rein. "Just the slightest pull is all that is needed to let him know the direction that you wish him to take." He couldn't help but note how soft her hands were and how much smaller than his. She was such a petite and delicate creature on the surface and yet so strong and deadly. She could kill a man with these hands and had done exactly that more times than even she could probably keep track of. Her ledger was dripping red as was his. Yet, the movement of her fingers was graceful and her skin was as smooth as silk. It fascinated him. "He takes his cues from the shift of your body as well as your hands. You must be firm but not too forceful."

His other arm still encircled her waist as they continued to gallop along the terrain. She was much more relaxed then when he had first insisted on teaching her how to steer the horse. He doubted that she worried anymore about losing her balance and falling off which had been his reason for holding her so closely. He supposed that he could release his grip on her and rest his arm at his side. But if he was being honest with himself, he really didn't want to and since she hadn't voiced any objections he decided to remain as he was.

The sun was descending further along its downward slope and he knew that there were not many hours left of daylight for riding. Soon it would be time to make camp for the night. He had been following an eastern route along the edges of the countryside to minimize the amount of time that they would have to spend crossing over the Asgardian Mountains. They would still have to traverse through the mountainside but for a much shorter expanse then if they had gone southward from the start of their journey. Loki could make out the tips of the columns and ruins of the old abandoned city of the Vanir. It would be the perfect place to rest before they began their excursion into the highlands.

"We will stop here," he commanded in his regal tone as he let go of her hand and rested his palm lightly against her thigh. He felt her body tremble faintly the moment that he let go of the leads and touched his fingertips along the cotton fabric of her pants. He knew it was simply a resurgence of nerves regarding the animal beneath her that caused the shudder along her skin but he couldn't help himself from envisioning how it might feel to cause such a reaction in her by more sensual means. "The reins are all yours, little spider, now pull back on both tethers as I showed you the moment that I give the verbal command." The stallion moved at a swift trot as it approached the deserted capital. The Vanir had vacated it after the Great War between the two kingdoms. It had been this ancient dispute that had brought about the betrothal of Odin and Frigga to seal the two realms and ensure the future peace. "Whoa!" Loki decreed as he dropped his weight down into the saddle. The steed halted as instructed. The young prince quickly dismounted and took hold of the bridle. "Well done." He commended as he stared up at the black widow.

Her sapphire gaze was sparkling with pride as she ran her fingers along the horse's mane. Had he never noticed how striking her eyes were? They reminded him of the deep blue skies that dwelled above the Marmara Sea in the twilight hours. He had spent countless evenings in his youth gazing at those starlit skies lost in thought and dreams of his future. Such simple wishes he had back then. Natasha smiled for the briefest of moments at the young god before she seemed to catch herself as her stoic veneer came over her once more.

"What is this place?" the Black Widow inquired in her businesslike manner as she slipped from the horse and began to explore her surroundings.

"It was the capital of Vanaheim built during long bygone days when they had their sights set on expanding their territories before they retreated back behind the mountains where they belong." Loki advised while he led the stallion towards an old hitching post near one of the less dilapidated buildings. With a few simple incantations he had rid the horse of its saddle and laid out a small bucket of feed and water. "This seems like an adequate shelter," he mused as he stepped inside the old structure. It appeared to have been a shrine of some kind. There were several statues situated about the small edifice and a small alter adjacent to the hearth. The white marble statues were all of female warriors. His emerald eyes quickly returned to study the woman at his side. He enjoyed watching her, more than he wanted to admit. It had been a long time since anything had intrigued him the way that she did.

"Was this a chapel?" Natasha probed as she stared intently at the figure of a woman with wings spread out behind her and her bow cocked as if she were about to let the arrow loose on her prey.

"Yes, to the Valkyrie," the trickster revealed as he watched her eyes widen with interest. "Legend says that they fly over the skies of a battle and pick which warriors to bring to Valhalla and those to send to the realm of Hel. Honoring the wraiths obviously did nothing to aid them in their ambitions." He chuckled as flames began to blaze in the fireplace from a mere flick of his wrist.

"You find war funny." It was more of a statement than a question as she gave him a cold glare. Her brows furrowed in a determined line and her lips pursed in a steady pout. Was this assassin who had killed without hesitation simply because it was commanded to her by her superiors really going to take the moral high ground with him?

"What I find amusing are fools who put their faith and hopes in others instead of taking charge of their own fate, those who blindly follow when they could lead." He retorted as he conjured an apple in his hand and a small bowl of fruits and berries along the granite alter. "Are you not hungry?" he asked as he took a bite of the apple when she made no move to eat. The sun had finally set leaving the room completely dark except for the light from the fire. "Suit yourself," he snipped as he moved towards the far wall and gazed out the small opening that was all that was left of the one-time stain-glassed window. He heard the slight tap of her boots as she sauntered towards the table and began to dine on the food that he had called forth.

"These are good," Natasha advised with a hint of surprise in her voice. He turned to face her once more. His eyes immediately fell to her mouth as she finished the strawberry that she had been consuming with the slightest lick of her lips. They were soft and pink with a pretty little dip at the center of her top lip. So curvy and voluptuous, by the nines how he longed to have a taste. "Want some?"

"Excuse me?" he practically stuttered as her words brought him out of his reverie. She had her hand extended out toward him with several berries in her palm but the corner of her mouth was upturned in the slightest of smirks. The trickster inwardly cringed at the idea that she could possibly be aware of his unwanted attraction for her. But this was her forte was it not, to use her wiles on her unwitting marks? She probably assumed that every man found her irresistible. She would find that he was not some silly mortal to be so taken in by the desires of the flesh that he lost sight of what was truly important. And that would be his freedom and the chance to even the score with the cunning shrew responsible for his current predicament. "No… no… I've had enough."

"They're very delicious," Natasha stated matter-of-factly as she finished the remaining fruit in her hand.

"Why would I waste my talents on anything but the best," he grinned with a sideways smile as he summoned a small couch and prepared to lie down. The black widow raised an eyebrow quizzically as she watched him incline along the soft cushions. "Oh, how ungentlemanly of me," Loki jested as he waved his hand with a slight flourish. A small pillow barely large enough to rest her head and a ratty old blanket appeared at the floor by her feet. "Sweet dreams, little spider."

"I have a name," she asserted frigidly as she kicked the pillow to the side with the tip of her boot.

"I'm quite aware of that, Agent Romanoff," Loki drawled in his silky accent as he closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head. "But the scurrying arachnid suits you so much better." He did his best to fall asleep but he was not surprised when a deep slumber remained out of his reach. The truth was that he rarely slept in the years since he had discovered the truth about his parentage. His brain was always in a constant state of commotion. The inner noise was sometimes deafening. In the quiet of the dark it was hard to keep the disillusionment and self-loathing of his true heritage at bay. But tonight his internal revulsion was interrupted by the softest of whimpers as he sat up to find the Black Widow asleep a few feet away along the cold, slate floor. She was close to the hearth. Her head resting upon the sorrowful excuse for a pillow that he had given her. Even at this distance he could see the tremor of her limbs as her head moved back and forth with the slowest of motions. The faint sound escaping her lips again and again. She was having a nightmare of some sort. He supposed that he should be pleased that the unflappable woman was apparently in pain no matter how small. But to his chagrin, he was not.

The young god moved closer to her as he knelt down at her side. Perhaps, he could gift her with a more pleasant dream. He told himself that it was simply because her murmurs would keep him from getting even the smallest amount of rest for himself and not because the sound of her discomfort was affecting him in anyway. A fitful sleep was better than no sleep at all. He started to recite an incantation in his mind. He created a vision of a garden near a flowing brook as he reached out his hand and placed it gently against her shoulder. Without warning she was sitting up with the barrel of her revolver pressed against his throat.

"What do you think you're doing?" Natasha demanded with an ice-cold glower. If her eyes had been daggers he would have already been stabbed twice over.

"Do you mind?" He frowned as he called upon his magic and dematerialized from his place at her side. He reappeared sitting languidly back on the couch where he had been attempting to rest. Then with a quick motion of his fingers he snatched the gun from her hand. She watched in shock as the weapon flew through the air and landed in his palm before he tossed it onto the cushion at his side. "You were having a nightmare. I was merely trying to calm you. You will be no use for travel if you spend the entire night tossing and turning along the stone slabs."

"You expect me to believe that?" Natasha gaped as she crossed her arms around her chest. "Don't ever try to touch me again and give me back my gun."

"What did you think I was doing?" Loki probed. His eyebrows furrowed into an even deeper scowl. "Don't flatter yourself, woman, I have no desire to touch you."

"Yeah, right… you are no different than any other man. You just hide it better than most," she snipped. He would have seethed in anger if he had not noticed the tone of her voice. It was short and filled with irritation. It was an actual emotion instead of her usual cold and detached way of speaking. He wondered if it was a remnant from the terror of her dream that caused the drop in her façade or perhaps he was beginning to affect her after all.

"Were you not just in the thrall of a nightmare?" he rasped as a wicked grin spread across his features. "Or do you normally snivel in your sleep?"

"I wasn't sniveling," she protested as she stood from the ground. "Now give me back my gun."

"Tell me what you were dreaming of," Loki offered as he picked the weapon back up and twirled it around his finger. "And I'll return it to you."

"Not in a million years." Natasha vowed as she stalked forward with the obvious intent of taking the weapon from him. He winked at her playfully as he made the gun disappear into thin air.

"You have another along that belt of yours that should be plenty for you," the young god drawled. "But if you point it at me than I guarantee you that you will have none at your disposal."

"Give it back to me, Loki," the black widow insisted as her dark blue eyes seemed to be weighing her options. "They were a gift to me when I first joined Shield." She exhaled slowly. He knew that was something she had not wanted to admit. "I obviously can't harm you with it so just return it to me already."

"A gift? From who? Barton? How precious. So the Black Widow does feel sentiment," Loki frothed. He wasn't sure why the thought caused him such vexation. "Well, if you want it back then you know what words I need to hear."

"Sometimes I dream of the Red Room," she admitted reluctantly. "Training there was… incredibly painful… are you satisfied?" Her gaze immediately moved toward her hip as the gun returned to its holster. Natasha walked back towards her place along the hearth and lied back down placing her back towards the young prince.

"When I was still young but too old to go running to mother when I had a bad dream," Loki began softly. Though he wasn't sure why in the world he felt so compelled to speak. He remembered what he had learned from Barton about the Red Room and all the tortures that they had inflicted on the young girl who would eventually become the Black Widow. "I would practice my magic to cheer myself up and put my mind at ease." She shifted her body to face him at the sound of his words. The look in her eyes was one of curiosity. She was probably wondering why he was talking to her. The truth was that he was just as dumfounded by his actions. Loki traced his finger into the air in front of him as he brought to life a small wispy image of a butterfly in all the colors of a rainbow and sent it fluttering towards her. It danced about her for a few moments before it vanished. He was gifted with the barest of smiles for his actions and an even more baffled look in her sapphire eyes. He began to draw in the air once more. This time he created the impression of a teeny tiny horse no more than a few inches tall and sent it galloping through the air around her. She laughed at that. The sound both surprised him and thrilled him.

"There… perhaps now you can get to sleep and stop disturbing my own," Loki announced as he attempted to regain his stony exterior. He reclined back down and folded his arms once more behind his head while he gazed up at the ceiling.

"Why are you being so nice to me all of the sudden?" Natasha wondered out loud as the soft, thin cushion suddenly appeared beneath her body.

"I'm not sure," Loki answered honestly as he continued to stare at the darkness above him. "I won't make a habit of it. I assure you."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 –

Loki had risen at the crack of dawn while she slept to prevent himself from gazing at her any longer. The fates forbid that she might open her eyes and discover him entranced by her sleeping form like a lovesick fool which he was not. Not by any sense of the word. Yes, he found her to be incredibly beautiful but one would have to be blind not to fall prey to that. It was just a meager infatuation that was all. It would pass eventually.

The problem he reasoned was that he was trying too hard to deny his attraction for her which was in turn making his cravings all the more undeniable. It was a never ending cycle. He decided that he just needed to accept the fact that he found her physically desirable and be done with it. He would never act on these lustful urges so what did it matter really. Besides her cold and smug demeanor were more than enough to douse his wanton impulses. She may think that she held some sort of sway over him the way she did with all of the other men she encountered in her life but he would show her that there were no men like him.

Loki had decided to scout out the edges of the mountainside along the outer rim of the old city so that he could locate the easiest slope to begin their ascent up the ridge. After all, the faster that they arrived in Muspelheim the sooner he could rid himself of the insufferable woman. It was as he was returning towards the chapel that he heard the sounds of running water coming from one of the more broken down buildings. It was a decayed bathhouse he realized as he came to the half torn wall of the structure. He was surprised that the water would still be flowing after all this time but even more so that he wouldn't have noticed the sound of the irrigation the evening before. It was then that his dark green eyes beheld a sight that made his entire mind go blank and he was certain for a moment that his heart had stopped beating.

All of his internal rationalizations that she couldn't possibly be as perfect in reality as he imagined her in his fantasies went crashing toward oblivion as he drank in the sight of her naked back. The Black Widow was submerged in the water up to her waist in the bathing pool. She was in the midst of tying her long red curls up into a twist that left her neck completely bare and gave him a glimpse of the swell of her breast. The soft curvy line of her body down to the small of her back and the widening of her hips made him forget to breathe as he stood there frozen like a statue.

She shifted slightly giving him an even more intimate view of her side. Her body was lithe and toned yet her breast was full and her nipple a pale pink like a rose. By the All-Father, he gaped to himself. What he wouldn't give to be able to touch that pale, smooth, and lickable skin. Without even thinking he took a step forward. The sound of pebbles crunching under his foot from the decomposing walkway startled him from his lust filled stupor. He thanked the Fates that there was still enough left of his wits that he was able to cast an invisibility spell before she glanced over her shoulder in his direction. The young god didn't even want to conceive of the unmerciful taunts that she would ridicule him with for the remainder of their journey if she knew that he had been watching. That he was still watching. If she didn't need him to get that precious flower she would probably try to kill him for stealing a look at her this way.

He should go. Loki knew that he should but he couldn't make his legs move as she dunked her body completely under the water before rising out of the pool and reaching for the old blanket that he had given her. It was lying along a bench next to her clothes. Her back was still to him but he didn't mind as he trailed his eyes down her seductive form. The young prince stared with baited breath as droplets of water glided down along her round firm bottom and those amazing legs that seemed to never end. There were no words strong enough for how badly he yearned for her. It was unfair that any mortal but especially that this one should possess such flawlessness.

Natasha wrapped the blanket around her as she reached for her clothes. Loki gave an impish smile as an idea tumbled into his mind. He was the god of mischief, after all. He moved his hand slightly and with a flick of his finger he sent a faint tug along the fabric of the coverlet causing it to fall. He licked his lips subconsciously as she bent downward to pick it up, tying it around her waist as she grabbed her undergarments and snapped her bra in place. He sent another tug causing the sheet to drop around her ankles. She made no move to retrieve it as she continued to dress. Every nerve in his body quivered in excitement as he watched her wiggle into her black laced panties. His wickedly wide grin grew even larger as he sent a breeze fluttering along her abdomen. He might not be able to touch her but he could still have a little fun. He could see the contraction of her muscles as she gasped at the sensation. So she was ticklish, he mused to himself.

She turned in his direction. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before she resumed her concentration to redressing. He watched as she slid her arms inside of her lavender shift. Loki directed another breeze along the underside of her arm and around the shapely curves now hidden beneath the lacey fabric of her bra. She bit her lip at the feeling that the light gust of wind sent across her skin which pleased him greatly. Her sapphire eyes darted around the fragmented reservoir as she buttoned up her shirt. The image before him of her naked legs beneath the silken garment made him wonder how he was ever going to make it to Muspelheim without throwing himself at her feet which was something that he loathed to ever do.

He took a tentative step away from the bathhouse as she reached for her dark grey pants. As the snap of the dead branch beneath his foot echoed through the open space it dawned on him that had he been in a more natural state of mind he would have had the insight to use his mystical powers to spirit himself away instead of walking backward like a fool. Before he could act on the thought a sharp pain wracked his skull as she stormed forward in a fury. He realized by the look in her eyes that the throbbing in his head had caused him to release his spell. She could see him as plain as day.

"You pervert!" she shrilled as she stalked closer. Her hand enclosed around a small shard of stone.

"You hit me with a rock," the young god rasped in disbelief as he rubbed his forehead gingerly. "Damn that hurt."

"You're lucky I didn't use my dagger," Natasha bit off angrily. The top button of her pants was still undone as she closed the distance between them in her bare feet. "How long were you ogling me?"

"I wasn't... for very long." The trickster shrugged. What was the point in trying to deny the obvious? He should have walked away the moment that he came upon her.

"You touched me?" the Black Widow seethed as she released the rock in her grip and let it fall to the ground at her feet. At least she wasn't planning on attacking him anymore, he thought wryly.

"Get a hold of yourself, woman. You were all the way over there." Loki pointed back toward the basin where the rest of her clothes and weapons were still piled along the bench. The pounding of his head was beginning to lessen.

"So what, you're a sorcerer. You can do anything you want with your magic. That strange wind that came out of nowhere, that was you!" Natasha insisted. There was a part of him that was enjoying her anger. The heat of her voice and the tremor along those deliciously pouty lips. He liked knowing that he affected her even if it was to insight rage.

"I don't know what you're rambling on about," the young god smirked as he reigned in his own emotions.

"Admit it. You touched me with your magic." She asserted as she crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Why, little spider?" he teased with a wink of his eye and a tilt of his brow. "Would you like to feel it again?"

"You disgust me." She pulled back her arm and punched him across the face. His head whipping to the side from the force of her wallop. He remained motionless for a moment, his mouth slightly open in shock as he tasted the blood along the corner of his lip. She was very strong and it only made him want her more. "I shouldn't be surprised."

"No, I suppose you shouldn't." He turned back to face her with a huge Chesire grin as he began to laugh. His tongue playing against his teeth as he gazed down at her. "Eh heh heh heh… I like your spirit, little spider." It was then that he noticed the way her eyes grazed along the open collar of his shirt. It was the quickest of glances but not one that he could miss nor the implication that went with it. "What were you doing out here anyway?"

"I thought that was obvious." Natasha rolled her eyes at the question as she took a step away from him. "It is called a bath."

"You knew I was wandering about somewhere in these old ruins when you decided to… but maybe that was the whole point." The young god reasoned as he scrutinized her more closely. "You wanted me to see you."

"Oh my god, you really are crazy." She exasperated as she sauntered back towards the rest of her clothes.

"Am I?" Loki prodded as he followed after her. "Underneath that cold exterior of yours is a heart that pulses and beats just like any other living thing and you desire things just like any other woman. What's the matter, little spider? Do you find yourself with a sudden craving for my company? Lying in wait in the hopes of enticing me?"

"That's ridiculous." Natasha jested as she pulled the purple tunic over her head. She released the twist in her hair and let the lush red curls fall about her shoulders. But the young god wouldn't be deterred. He saw that covetous look in those dark blue eyes of hers even if it was only for a mere second. Perhaps he wasn't the only one plagued with these unwanted longings. And if she did have an interest in him no matter how small than this little battle of theirs was on a much more level playing field than he had believed it to be.

"You want me don't you?" He stepped forward again so that she would have to fall over the bench that was now resting against the back of her legs if she attempted to put any distance between them. They were barely an inch apart. His height forcing her to slant her neck upward so that she wasn't staring at his chest. She gave him a frosty stare but he could see the sudden shift of her body and the tiny tremor of her lips. Only this time he knew that it wasn't anger that caused it but his nearness. She made no move to answer his question. She made no move at all. The tension between them tightened as they stood there with their gazes fixed on each other. He leaned in slowly, his voice a bare whisper. "And I could have you. Right here and right now if I wanted to." And by the roots of Yggdrasil, he certainly wanted to. He wanted to take her in his arms and push her up against the half-broken wall. He wanted to crush her with kisses, to pry open her lips with his tongue and finally taste the sweetness that he had been hungering for since only the Fates knew how long. He wanted his hands on her body, his mouth on her naked breasts. He wanted to be inside of her. His lips hovered above hers for a mere fraction of a moment. His need for her egging him on even as his pride forced him to keep at bay. He was half-crazed with the desire to make her his. But that would be conceding to her and he wasn't going to give this woman another victory over him. "But I don't… I don't want to." He could barely get the words to fall from his lips it was such a contradiction to every particle of his being. He wanted her in the worst way. "Finish getting dressed, little spider, we have a long day ahead of us."

With a quick twist of his body he strutted away from her and towards the hitching post to tend to the horse. He quickly brought forth another stallion before saddling his black steed with a wave of his fingers. There was absolutely no way that he could trust himself to sit with her body so closely pressed against his. He breathed in and out with slow calming breaths as he tried to regain his composure. But he couldn't get the images of her naked form out of his mind. Damn the woman, she probably did do it on purpose.

He heard the sound of her footsteps as she came up behind him. She walked to the chestnut stallion and grazed her fingers along its mane. The silence was deafening. Natasha was the first to break it.

"You think I'm ready to ride on my own?" She inquired with her usual detached air. Loki's eyes narrowed as he observed her. So calm and collected as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened between them. He was not going to be outplayed by a mere mortal. He could be just as aloof and disconnected as she was. He would think of it no more.

"You did well enough yesterday. I'm fairly certain you won't break your neck," he replied regally as he placed his foot in the stirrup and mounted the horse. "We will keep them at a light trot. You should do fine." He watched as she pulled herself up onto the stallion. The horse pawed at the ground with his forelegs causing a worried frown from the black widow. Loki sighed as he snapped his reigns and brought himself along her left side. He reached out and placed his hand gently against the tethers that she gripped tightly between her fingers.

"If one was nervous which I know you're not," Loki drawled in his silky accent. "I would tell them to relax their grip a bit or the horse may sense your anxiety. This is a very tame animal. He will follow your lead."

"Does it hurt?" Natasha asked out of the blue as she regarded his hand while he released his hold on her reign. "The tattoo." She clarified as she continued to watch him attentively.

"Only when it first appeared," the young god answered honestly. "But it will be gone soon enough so it hardly matters does it?" Was that her way of reminding him of their bargain? Was she trying to rattle him by flaunting her triumph over him in his face? Well, it wouldn't work. He was not ruled by his emotions any more than she was. He began a quick cantor as he moved towards the hillside while she followed behind him. Let her have her little moment. The final victory would be his.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 –

'The Green beast,' Loki thought to himself. 'I must think of something particularly painful for his comeuppance and the man of Iron, of course. Fandral has always been an irritant. I could think of quite a lot of fun ways to torment that vain fool.' The young god had been rambling off in his head a list of all those who had crossed him in one way or another for the past half hour. Once he was free from this bargain that his mother had decided to seal him to then he would take care of each and every one of them. There were many names that he had repeated more than once and a few that he had added for no other reason than he couldn't think of anyone else. He was desperate to keep his mind occupied on anything other than the woman who was trotting along so quietly at his side.

He had made the mistake of glancing at her earlier. He merely wanted to make sure that she had the correct hold of the reins. At least that was what he had told himself. But he couldn't help but let his eyes wander to other things. It wasn't his fault that the tight fabric of her tunic so perfectly outlined those magnificent breasts of hers as they rose and fell with each breath. Not to mention the jostling from the natural motions of the horse beneath her. How was he supposed to stop himself from drifting towards the sway of her hips? Yes, her hips and the motion of her thighs that was what had truly done him in. But how could he help it after what he had seen that morning?

By the nines, he had seen her naked and as he watched her riding that stallion it was so easy to let his mind stray. He could so effortlessly imagine her looming above him, his hands gripping her thighs as she moved in a seductive rhythm while her hair fell about him. He could practically feel the way those lush red curls would fall against his shoulders and chest as he tasted and teased her breasts. He hadn't realized how long he was lost in his thoughts until the branch of the tree had smacked him along the side of his head. It was a small enough twig and one that he could have easily ducked under had he been paying attention. It didn't even hurt, not really but he could hear her fit of laughter at his expense. He knew by the look in her eye and the faint smirk along the edge of her lips when she finally regained her cool demeanor that she was very much aware of exactly what his mind had been preoccupied with. That was when he vowed to himself that he would keep his eyes glued ahead of him.

And so he began to run through his list one more time from the beginning. The journey so far had been quite easy. It was a gentle slope with a slowly increasing incline that was very undemanding for their mounts. Unfortunately, that was about to end. The young prince could see that they were fast approaching the first crag of the mountain.

"Whoa!" he commanded as he pulled tight on the reins. "We will need to go the next bit on foot," the young god declared coldly as he kept his focus ahead of him. "It is much too steep and jagged for the horses." He heard her boots alight on the ground but he still refused to look her way as he dismounted and began to strut towards the rocky terrain. The first part of the climb was quite wonderful. It was sheer enough and necessitated enough physical exertion that it left no room for any thought other than where to put your footing or which rock presented the best grip for your hands. But then the Black Widow slithered past him. She toiled quickly like there was some sort of bet who would reach the brow first. He personally could care less. Let the fool mortal tire herself out if she wished. But then she slowed.

It was not enough of a slackening that he would gain on her unless he decided to quicken his gate but it was enough that he could tell the difference. It was then that he realized her actual intent. She had positioned herself above him with her backside plainly in his line of sight. It wasn't as if he could clamber up the mountain without ever looking in front of him. It was pretty much a requirement that he see where he was going and now where he was going was right in line with her wiggling bottom. As if to make certain that he knew of her purpose she glanced back at him over her shoulder.

"Watch out for twigs," Natasha mused with the faintest of smiles before she continued her languid hike upward.

'That bitch,' he seethed to himself as he felt his blood begin to boil at her not so subtle reference to his earlier folly. He hated the woman. He despised her with every fiber of his being, well almost. Was this how the Fates had decided to punish him? What could be worse than lusting after this self-righteous arrogant shrew?

Loki held on to his anger as he carefully continued up the uneven slope. If he stumbled in any way she would assume it was because of her and he wasn't about to let that happen. He considered increasing his speed and passing her but that would only be confirmation to her that he was so smitten that he couldn't handle having her moving about in front of him. And that was unacceptable. He wasn't some teenager who was ruled by his hormones. He was perfectly capable of gazing upon a woman without being enthralled by her luscious legs or those exquisite hips. His foot nearly slipped before he caught himself. By the All-Father, what was happening to him? Never in his life had he experienced such a driving urgency for a woman. Why did it have to happen now? And why did it have to be her?

The trickster had never felt such relief as when they finally reached the first crest. He could bring back the horses now as the landscape had returned to a much more easy-going pitch. Loki moved past her as he conjured some food and water that was laid out on a small table and a chair for himself. She could recline on the dirt for all he cared.

"How long do you think it will take us to get through the mountains and into Vanaheim?" Natasha inquired as she reached for a bite to eat.

"We should be there by tomorrow afternoon at the latest," Loki responded without emotion. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the chair. Yes, soon they would be in Vanaheim and then from there Nidavellir. After that they would be at the passage to Muspelheim. He tried to envision the end of their journey and his freedom. Before long he would be free from this cursed bargain but more than that he would be liberated from ever having to look upon her again. He heard her footfall as she walked around him. Her leg barely touched his knee as she passed by but it was enough to get his attention. What was she up to now?

The next thing he knew she was leaning over him. His eyes shot open when he felt the soft ringlets of her hair brush against his cheek as she inclined above him and poured herself a glass of water. Those gorgeous strawberry locks that were quickly becoming yet another object of his obsession felt delightful against his skin. He was less than an inch away from her and the scent of her was overwhelming. He swallowed as her hair continued to flitter across his face. It reminded him of his daydream as the image of her on top of him suddenly flashed through his mind.

"What do you think you're doing?" Loki exhaled roughly. She was purposely trying to torture him that was what she was doing, he thought irritably.

"I was thirsty," the black widow advised in her usual stoic tone as she moved away from him and took a sip from the cup in her hand.

"What kind of…" he was about to say fool but he could only imagine what kind of retort she would have for him at that. He stood up abruptly and stalked toward her. She took a slight step backward and with a flick of his wrist he created a boulder behind her effectively trapping her in place. "You're playing with fire, little spider. I'd be careful if I were you."

"You can't hurt me," Natasha countered. Her voice was even and she showed no fear of him at all. "Or did you forget our bargain?"

"Who said anything about hurting you?" Loki grinned while he pressed his hands along the rock on either side of her as he pinned her even more firmly to the spot in front of him. "There are so many other things I could do to you that wouldn't break our deal." He breathed seductively.

"Like I would ever let you touch me," The black widow contended. Her dark blue eyes staring up at him defiantly.

"Let me, little spider, before we reach Muspelheim you are going to beg me to put my hands on you," the young god promised. His emerald eyes sparkling with desire and a wicked confidence surrounded his entire being as he leaned in closer. As close as he could get without actually touching her.

"Keep dreaming," Natasha maintained but he could see the way she pressed her body into the rock at her back trying to increase the distance between them as futile as it was. There was the slightest tremor in her skin that even the Black Widow with all her training could not hide.

"I imagine you're a very cold lover," he rasped as he followed the curve of her jaw with his lips, down to her neck and back again. All the while never touching her except for the heat of his breath as he taunted her with the promise of his words and the nearness of his mouth. "Even in the midst of the little bit of passion that you allow yourself I suspect that you never really let loose. I bet you've been in control of every man that you've ever bedded but it won't be that way with me, I assure you."

"So the frustrated would-be King is still looking for subjects to rule over?" Natasha drawled as he watched the pulse point in her neck quicken. "I promise you that I will never be one of them."

"The day you give yourself to me there will be no more of this icy façade that you cling to. You will have no choice but to come undone." Loki whispered against her ear. "You are going to surrender, little spider, and when you do I'm going to give you such pleasures as you've never known." He heard the sound of breaking glass as her cup slipped from her grip. He licked his lips expectantly. How he ached to run his tongue along her skin, to nibble that delicate earlobe that seemed to be begging him for attention. But he would not be the first one to break. No, if it was a war that she wanted than he would gladly partake but she would be the one to give in first.

"Your ego knows no bounds," she replied with the slightest quiver to her voice. He was getting to her. He knew he was. He moved back slightly as he gazed into her eyes. Still so stalwart and inflexible despite the shudder of her limbs. How he longed for another glimpse of that covetous gaze that he had seen this morning even if it was only for the barest of seconds. What would she do, he wondered, if he were to kiss her right now? No, never again would he give this mortal the upper hand. She would come to him. He would make sure of it.

"Ego? Because I know what you want?" His eyes were filled with fire as he stared down at her full pink lips. They would taste divine. He knew they would. He could feel his own body shuddering with his need to have her. It was taking every ounce of self-control that he possessed not to crush his lips to hers. "Or because I'm more than willing to give it to you?" He glided his fingers along a strand of her hair. He couldn't stand being this close to her for much longer. "You want to be taken. You want to yield to me because you know I'm the only man who could ever handle all that you have to offer." He continued to toy with the soft red curl, wrapping it around his finger and rubbing it against his thumb. "I'm going to have my way with you and when I'm certain that you are satiated and I've discovered every way that there is to delight in your body then I'm going to give you the reins, little spider." She gasped at his words and his smile deepened. "You've thought about it haven't you? The give and take that we could give to one another? You long to have power over me just as much as you crave to give in to the sway that I have over you. Such delicious battles we will indulge in, little spider, if you just say the words."

Her eyes went wide and her mouth trembled as she dropped her gaze from his for the first time. His heart thumped against his ribs as he waited for her to say something. The silence was thick between them. He could feel his own resolve weakening with every passing second. He let go of the strawberry curl and moved his fingers to her chin as he tilted her head toward him. He started to bend forward. Pride be damned, he felt like he was going to explode if he didn't have her soon.

"I… I…," Loki froze in mid-motion at the sound of her voice. It was so soft and breathy. He had to strain to hear her. "Please move out of my way." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she slowly regained her composure. "Right now, Loki, unless you want to experience what these bracelets can do."

"Fine," the young god sighed as he extended his arm with a flourish toward the small table a few feet away as if he were presenting the way to a Queen. "Run along, little spider, as long as we understand each other." She moved quickly, only stopping after she had placed a sufficient distance between them.

"I think we've rested long enough don't you?" Natasha prodded frigidly as she kept her back to him.

"Yes, I couldn't agree more." He bit off sarcastically. Try as he might he couldn't seem to hide his disappointment in her response. He quickly called forth the horses and mounted his black stallion in one fell swoop. He affected her. He knew that he had. The desire was there he just needed to wait for her to give in to it and he wasn't going to give up until she did.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 –

Dusk was just beginning to settle along the landscape as they finally reached the gates of the opulent city. If Asgard was a feast of gold then Vanaheim was a festival of silver and platinum. The long, sleek buildings towered in the air. The pathway to the grand entrance was lined with statues of ancient sorcerers who seemed to be in the mist of spells. Every few feet along the expansive walls that enclosed the city were two shimmering cylinders of blue light. They were enchanted orbs forged from the power of fallen stars. The Vanir were masters of sorcery and magic. Nearly all of their people were accomplished in some form of the mystical arts but none of their number was stronger than Frigga. She had been the one to nurture the spark in him, teaching him everything that she knew from the time that he was old enough to speak.

Monuments of winged horses overlooked either side of the open archway. It was quite a sight to behold. Loki watched as the woman riding along his side took it all in. If she was impressed or not by her surroundings he couldn't tell she was as unreadable as always. The Black Widow was like an intricate puzzle that he very much wanted to solve.

"I don't know why we just didn't camp outside the city and travel straight through at first light," Natasha remarked coolly. "What if someone recognizes you despite your little disguise? I still say that it is an unnecessary risk."

"Yes, I recall your point of view quite clearly from the last twenty times you told me," Loki quipped with a roll of his eyes. He had placed a glamour upon himself before they had reached the main path to the city to ensure that no one would identify the fallen prince of Asgard. His disappearance from Odin's cell was certain to have spread throughout the realms by now and more than likely there was a bounty for anyone who could give information on his whereabouts. The All-Father wouldn't take too kindly to the idea of him roaming free. The irony being that freedom was a very allusive commodity for him at the moment despite his lack of physical bars. To those around him he had short ginger hair and he was dressed in commoner's clothes. A pale blue shirt and simple brown cotton slacks. An outfit that he despised but that should keep him well hidden during their stay. "I want to rest this evening in a real room and one that is as far away from your incessant sniveling as possible."

"I know for a fact that you are making that up," the black widow stated in her casual manner. "I happened to have slept remarkably well." Of course she had a pleasant slumber, he thought wryly. It had taken him four tries to figure out how to get the enchantment to work without touching her. He had half a mind to tell her exactly what she had dreamed just to get a rise out of her. He had recreated the beach along the Sea of Marmara. It was a very soothing place and one that he had been certain would keep her nightmares at bay. He wasn't even sure why he had bothered. There was just something about seeing her in distress that had tugged at his sympathies. No matter how hard he tried to relish in her pain he couldn't do it. Although the Fates knew that she had more than earned his ire.

Loki steered the horse through the gates and dismounted in front of the first lodging that he came upon. The Grey Wolf was both a Tavern and an Inn. He had stayed here before on previous excursions to the city in his younger years. The rooms were comfortable and the food was fairly decent. He called over one of the stable boys and handed him their horse's reigns along with a couple of gold coins for his trouble. He proceeded to pay for two rooms for the night as well as two meals and a pitcher of mead to be served at once which earned him an odd look from the Inn Keeper.

"A lover's spat, eh?" the elderly man chuckled as he handed him the two keys which the young god swiped from his hand in a huff. "Have a seat at one of the empty tables. I'll have your dinners brought out straight way. I run a tight ship that I do." The old man boasted.

Loki barely heard a word the man said as he stalked towards a table and sat down while the bane of his existence took the seat across from him. Her unruffled disposition was working on his last nerve. He could easily match her detached manner. At least on the outside but on the inside it was a completely different story. She was driving him crazy. He could not stop thinking about the way her body had trembled at his nearness, how close he had come to kissing her and the breathlessness of her voice at his proposition. Yet, here she sat in front of him as if none of it had ever happened. She was the perfect picture of an Ice Queen.

The waitress set the food and drinks down in front of them giving the young prince a friendly smile that he failed to notice. He poured himself a mug and downed it in seconds as the black widow narrowed her eyes at him. He moved to pour himself another when he felt her fingers graze along his hand. He froze at the sensation of her palm against his skin. The smooth touch sent a jolt of lust spiraling through his veins. How could such a trifling act on her part have such an effect upon him? His dark green eyes peered at her curiously and she pulled her hand away as if she had just touched hot coals.

"Shouldn't you eat something?" Natasha probed with a motherly air. "You'll be no good to me with a hangover."

"Thor and I used to drink this by the barrel," he snipped as he finished filling his mug to the brim. "I'm not about to get drunk on a couple of pints." She shook her head and began to eat which only infuriated him more. He hated that he was so short with his temper it was only another sign of her influence over him. Another point in her favor while he continued to come up empty handed. The waitress returned as she placed her hand lightly against his shoulder.

"Is everything to your liking, sir," the barmaid inquired in a melodic tone as she grinned down at him once more. This time the young god was very aware of her special treatment. She was dressed in the normal tavern girl's uniform that included a very tight and slightly revealing top which the woman gladly placed in his line of view.

"Yes, very," Loki answered with a sexy smirk. Normally he wouldn't give one of these trollops the time of day. Flirting with the help was much more his brother's speed. Loki could never get past the fact that they were only looking for one thing, a bigger tip.

"I hope you find your room as enjoyable. Don't hesitate to call down if you find you require anything," the waitress beamed as she moved her hand back and forth along his shoulder. The wench wasn't very subtle and normally he would have shooed her away but, by the nines, if his ego couldn't do with a little stroking.

"He isn't the only one at the table," Natasha declared. Her sapphire eyes were like daggers as she gave the woman a look that promised pain.

"Of course, mam," the woman soothed with a quick curtsy and an immediate step away from Loki. "If there is anything that I can get for you…" There was a look of confusion on the barmaid's face. It was obvious that she assumed since they had separate rooms that there wouldn't have been an issue. Loki for his part sat there flabbergasted at the very noticeable jealousy emanating from the Black Widow.

"Your absence," Natasha affirmed and the young prince grinned outright at the venomous undertone of her voice. She turned her dark blue eyes to him as the waitress scurried away. "What are you so happy about?" she probed as she regained her usual unaffected disposition.

"Possessiveness is incredibly sexy on you, little spider," Loki mused as he reached his hand across the table and glided his finger along her forearm wistfully.

"Don't be ridiculous," the Black Widow insisted as she knocked his hand away. "That had nothing to do with you. I just didn't like being treated as if I was invisible, that's all."

"If you say so," he smirked. His entire mood had changed in an instant from frustrated to euphoric. He poured himself another drink. Only this time it was a celebration. 'To the first real chink in her armor,' he laughed to himself. She returned to her meal without another word as he tried to think of a way to capitalize on his minute victory. It might have been the ale's influence but suddenly he got the idea that perhaps he should try to woo her. He should forget about their past association and imagine that she was simply a pretty woman that he wanted to get to know. With a quick twist of his fingers he conjured a pale pink rose and laid it down in front of her.

"What are you doing?" Natasha gaped as her eyes moved from him to the flower and back again. "Do you want to bring attention to yourself?" Her voice was a bare whisper.

"We are in Vanaheim," Loki divulged as he brought forth a rainbow hued Iris and offered it to her proudly. "A child of three could work this spell. Practically everyone here knows how to perform an enchantment of some kind." He laid the flower next to the other when she made no move to take it. There must be some way to impress her. Of course, he thought to himself, she was a woman of action. She liked to do things for herself. "Would you like to learn a trick, little spider?" he offered.

"No, thank you," she replied icily as she took another bite of mutton. "I'm no sorcerer."

"There are two ways to perform magic," the young god explained. "The most powerful is when the spark resides inside of you. You either have it or you don't. It can't be taught. The mystical energy lives and breathes in you. That is the way it is for me. But the second is with the use of a tool and anyone can learn how to do that. Although without the inner potency to draw upon you can never master much more than the simplest of spells." Her dark blue eyes gazed up from her plate with inquisitiveness. He had her attention. That was a start. He laid his hand out in front of her and a small ruby stone materialized in his palm.

"This is a Norn stone," Loki revealed as his eyes glittered with mischief. "I pilfered it from my father's vault when I was fourteen. He refused to let me have one even though the trunk that held them was overflowing he had so many. They were just sitting there collecting dust awaiting some distant day in the future when they might be needed just like everything else that he houses in that place. He insisted it was too powerful and that I was too young but patience has never been one of my virtues." He extended his arm closer to her as he motioned for her to take it. She hesitated at first but then her curiosity won out as she picked it up gingerly.

"It's vibrating," Natasha commented as she studied the piece.

"It is extremely powerful," the young god grinned like a school boy. He liked this. He realized for the first time that he rather enjoyed her company. "Hold it tighter and concentrate on the sensation along your fingers. I'm going to show you the first spell that my mother ever taught me."

"I don't think this is a good idea," the black widow decreed suddenly as she moved to give him back the stone. The young god couldn't hide the disappointment on his face.

"Please," Loki shocked himself as the word fell from his lips. "It can't harm you. Trust me, little spider. If for no other reason than this…" He raised his hand in the air so that the flaming dragon along his palm was facing her gaze. "My motivation is not to hurt you." Natasha closed her hand once more around the ruby gem as she followed his instructions to the letter. She was an apt pupil as she repeated the incantation with ease.

He watched her eyes widen in wonderment as the tiny bubble appeared in the air before her. It grew bigger and bigger until it was near the size of a watermelon before it popped out of the blue releasing a shower of smaller bubbles all over the two of them. Natasha giggled at the sight. It was a delightful laugh and her smile was vivid. Just watching her made him happier than he could ever remember being.

"Eh heh heh heh," the young god chuckled as he waved the bubbles away from his face. "It is an even more amazing experience when you're two."

"I'm sure it was," she beamed as she began to catch her breath. She handed the rock back to him carefully. "It's getting late. May I have my key?"

"Yes, of course," Loki acquiesced as he reached into his pocket and handed it to her reluctantly. To his chagrin he had abruptly become conscious of the fact that he hated the knowledge that he would not be able watch her sleep this evening. He slept so little and he had gotten used to having her close by. What if she was plagued by another one of those nightmares regarding the Red Room? He let the Norn stone dissolve into thin air and then dropped several more coins along the table before following behind her.

Her room it turned out was across from his. He watched for a moment as she placed her key in the door before turning and unlocking his own room and stepping in side. He could hear the jiggling of her doorknob and the barest of curses. He strutted back toward her as he loomed above her and placed his hand around hers.

"You have to line it up just right," Loki told her quietly as he helped her situate the key in the proper place. He turned their hands and the door clicked open. He released his grip so that she could open the door more fully. Natasha gazed up at him. There was a warmth in her sweet blue eyes that he had never noticed before and the faintest of smiles along her lips.

"Thank you," She whispered as she leaned up on her toes and placed the gentlest of kisses along his cheek. His heart rebounded in his chest as he stood there motionless. Then he stepped forward and placed his hands on either side of her face.

"You're welcome," he breathed seductively before he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. Closing his eyes he fell into the exquisite sensation that was her. She melted against him immediately. Her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him closer. He slid his tongue between her parted lips and she sighed into his mouth. He enveloped her more tightly with every luscious moan that escaped her lips. Kissing her felt even more incredible than he dreamed it would. She tasted so good and felt so right. He lost any semblance of self-control.

He had her off her feet and through the door, pinned between his body and the wall in the next heartbeat. Her fingers burrowed into his hair as her nails scraped the back of his scalp. He slid his mouth down the length of her neck. Pushing his hips upward as he rubbed his body against hers, he was desperate for the friction. The evidence of his arousal was more than apparent. He needed her now.

"Loki," Natasha shivered. He slipped a hand beneath her shirt and tunic, palming her taut stomach. She was so smooth and warm.

"You're like silk," the young god breathed as he suckled the soft spot behind her ear causing her breathing to become even more erratic. It was delicious. "So beautiful, so strong, you're everything a man could ever want in a woman." His thumb caressed the tip of her belly as she trembled against him. By the nines, he needed to get her out of her clothes and onto the bed. He felt like he would die if he didn't sink inside her soft welcoming body. It was as if he had been waiting an eternity for this moment. He moved toward the mattress when he noticed that the door was still wide open. With a flick of his finger, it slammed shut. Capturing her lips once more, he lowered her onto the soft cushion. His temperature spiked. His blood pounded. This was really happening. Natasha pushed him away suddenly.

"What are we doing?" The Black Widow gaped. "We can't… I can't."

"Yes, we can," He gripped her by the arms and pulled her down onto his chest. He crushed his mouth to hers as his hand slid up her back. Sweet, delicious and so right that was what she was. He wanted her and he was determined to have her.

Natasha pushed him away again and sat up at the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have… I know I started it. I was caught up in the moment. I just I forgot the reality of everything."

"And what reality is that?" Loki rasped as he released the glamour on his hair and clothes. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. "You want me. How is that for reality? And I want you… I want you, Natalia." He spoke softly, never taking his eyes from her as he leaned closer. He captured her face in his hands. "Please… please, Natalia, let me have you. You have no idea how badly I need you." His lips found hers once more. He knew how desperate he sounded but at the moment he didn't care. All that mattered was that she was kissing him back. A shuddering gasp erupted from her throat as she used all of her strength to shove him away. The black widow jumped from the bed as she stalked across the floor.

"Stop trying to mess with my head," Natasha ordered. Her voice was cold and her detached mask was firmly back in place. "You'll have to come up with some other way to get even with me."

"What?" His brow furrowed and his lips were pursed in a confused frown as he strutted toward her. "You can't really believe that… that is not what this is… there is no way that you can think that I don't want you."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me? Should I be impressed because your hormones are raging?" The black widow continued in her businesslike tone. How could the woman turn off her emotions like a faucet? He could hardly believe that this was the same passionate creature who was enfolded in his arms just a few moments ago. "I doubt I'm the first woman that ever caught your eye but I am the first to ever play you like a fiddle. It would have been a double win for you. Satisfy your lust and make a fool out of me."

"If that is what you truly think then you couldn't be more wrong," Loki entreated. "I have no desire for revenge on you. I've grown to… I have no wish to hurt you."

"Just get out," Natasha stated firmly as she opened the door for him to leave.

"Please listen to me, little spider," the young god pleaded. There was a part of him that was beginning to realize just how much this woman had begun to mean to him. It was more than just her sweet blue eyes and mind-numbing curves that had captivated him. And it wasn't just the strength of her spirit or the sharpness of her mind that had brought upon his begrudging respect of her. She was seeping into parts of his soul that he had never shared with anyone before. She was skirting around the edges of a heart that he had forgotten that he even had. And by the All-Father, he was fairly certain that he wanted to let her in.

"So how does it feel to be outplayed yet again, Loki?" the Black Widow smirked.

"What are you talking about?" he puzzled.

"You told me that I would end up begging you, isn't that right?" Natasha divulged. Her eyes were the frostiest that he had ever seen them. "But all it took was a little kiss on the cheek to have you pleading for me. In another few seconds you would have probably been on your knees at my feet."

"Now you are trying to tell me that this was all a ploy on your part," Loki exasperated as he ran his fingers through his long black hair. "Make up your mind. Are you really so intimidated by your feelings?"

"Lust isn't a feeling. Its biology," Natasha retorted calmly. "I could never have feelings for someone like you. You're a monster."

"You're right I am," Loki agreed. "And you're beneath me. Is this the way you want the conversation to go, Agent Romanoff? So desperate to push me away, you are pulling out all the stops." He ran his fingers through his hair once more in frustration. It was a habit that he had when he was upset and she was sending him to an all new level of vexation that he had never before experienced. "Well, you are in luck because I have had more than enough of you for one evening." He moved swiftly from the room and back into his own as he slammed the door behind him. He had made a mistake. No woman was worth this aggravation. He fell onto the bed with his dark green eyes staring up at the ceiling. His heart ached and he didn't like it. But what was he to do about it? There was nothing he could do. He had already fallen in love.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 –

The chestnut stallion stomped its hooves into the ground impatiently. He was anxious to be reunited with his rider and Loki couldn't blame the animal. He felt the same. The young god had toyed with the idea of knocking on her door when the sunrise had finally tumbled through his window. He had begun to think that the night was never going to end. He had been lonely without her as much as he loathed admitting it to himself. And he had been more than a little anxious to see her when the morning had come at last. But after standing in front of her door for several minutes without moving an inch as his hand hovered over the door like a buffoon, he quickly decided against it. The Black Widow could meet him in the stables.

The mischievous prince still could not comprehend exactly what had happened. How had she managed to get such a hold over his heart in such a short period of time? He was the God of Mischief, after all. He had prided himself in the last few years for his cold disposition and ability to detach himself from all the cumbersome sentiments that had caused him so much pain after he had discovered the truth about his parentage. Even before that fateful day on the bi-frost he had never put that much importance on the fairer sex. He certainly was never one to make a fool out of himself for a woman.

Loki inwardly cringed when he thought of how he had pleaded with her to give in to him. He couldn't have been more pathetic if he had tried. He had been so desperate for her, so frantic and needy. His desires had blinded him to what should have been so obvious. She was a hero, a protector of her world and he was a criminal, the god of lies who had tried to bring her home to its knees. There was no way the evening could have ended any other way and he had been a complete and utter imbecile to think otherwise. Still he couldn't deny that he would do it again in a heartbeat if he thought there was even the tiniest chance that he could win her over. She had been right. He would have fallen on his knees if it would have gained him her heart. He was in love with her and he hated it but he was too far gone to pretend that it wasn't true.

Natasha sauntered towards him slowly as he stood there holding both reigns in his hands. His heart skipped a beat as she drew nearer. Her soft red curls falling across her shoulders as her hips swayed in that delicious way of hers. Her expression was cold and without emotion but he expected nothing less. He wondered absently if she had slept well. Should he speak? Should he wait for her to say something? He decided on the latter as he continued to hold the stallions' leads.

"I found this posted on the front window of the Inn as I was leaving," the Black Widow revealed as she handed him a piece of parchment paper. "I saw a young boy across the street. He was taping up more of them. I told you it was a bad idea to spend the night here."

Loki stared down at the picture of him. It was a decent enough likeness but it was the words that were inscribed that caught his attention. 'Wanted – Loki Laufeyson,' It was the name that his father had bestowed upon him on the day of his sentencing. The day Odin had officially disowned him. He hated the name. He was not Laufey's son. He had killed that Jotunn bastard and if there was one thing in his life that he had no regrets about it was ridding the world of that beast. The Frost Giant king had left him for dead when he was no more than an infant for no other reason than he was too tiny for his liking. He had no father and he had no desire to go by any patriarchal names. He was simply Loki.

"You needn't worry," the Trickster remarked in a pacifying tone. "No one will recognize me like this." He still had his glamour in place. He brushed his fingers through his short ginger locks as if to emphasize his disguise. His darkened eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the paper in his other hand. A scowl set itself upon his features as he read the name over and over again. The young god used his magic to disperse the poster into a burst of flames. Odin meant to taunt him with the use of this name and he hated him for it. He despised the man for a great many things.

"If you don't think anyone will identify you then why are you so upset?" Natasha probed. He felt her body move closer to him as the scent of her filled his lungs with each breath he took. "Loki, are you alright?" The concern in her voice was unexpected. It was like a salve for all his bitterness as his anger dissipated the moment the sound reached his ears. He looked up at her. Her dark blue eyes were warm and comforting as she placed her fingers gently along his forearm.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking," Loki began in a hushed tone as he debated on confiding in her what it was about the bulletin that had truly bothered him. But when she backed away suddenly, letting go of his arm and moving towards her horse he decided against it. He had given her enough ammunition against him. "How much of your mission did you divulge to the All-Father? Does he know that you need to go to Muspelheim? Did you tell him precisely what you needed me for? "

"I didn't tell him anything," Natasha replied in her stoic demeanor. "It was Fury's decision from the beginning that I was to seek out Frigga. I only told Odin that we needed the use of your magic to help save our comrades. I didn't give him any other detail than that. Why?"

He watched as she glided her fingers along the horse's mane. He couldn't help but remember the way those hands had felt tangled in his hair or the delightful pain when her fingernails had dug into his neck as she pulled him closer. She had been as eager for him as he had been for her. At least it had seemed that way to him.

"I just wanted to be prepared if there was any possibility that he might know where we are heading," Loki divulged as his dark emerald eyes took in the sight of her. She was so beautiful. He couldn't just pretend like last night had never happened. The thought came to him suddenly and try as he might he couldn't seem to push it away. "I've been thinking… that is I thought that maybe…" By the nines, he needed to shut up before he made an even bigger fool out of himself but apparently he had lost the ability to censor his thoughts before they reached his lips. "We could start over. I know our past association was… well, we both have our reasons for disliking each other. But perhaps we could leave the past in the past, little spider, and start fresh." He stepped closer to her. She stared at him curiously but made no attempt to speak. At least she wasn't objecting, he thought wryly. He extended his hand out toward her and captured a few loose curls between his fingers. A half-smile appeared along his lips as he twirled the long strands. They were as soft as silk. "I would really like to get to know you better, Natalia."

"Why are you calling me that?" she questioned, her lips parted in confusion but she had made no move to stop the gentle touch of his fingers in her hair and the young god's confidence began to grow with every second that she allowed him to be near her.

"It is your name, is it not?" Loki inquired. He knew that she went by the Americanized version in her dealings with Shield but he preferred the melodic tenor of her birth name. "Natalia Alianovna Romanova… Красивое имя для красивой женщине, Наталия _[a beautiful name for a beautiful woman, Natalia]_"

"Вы со мной флиртует в русская? _[Are you flirting with me in Russian?]_" Natasha replied dryly, her left eyebrow raised and the hint of a smile along the corner of her mouth.

"That depends, would you like me to be?" the mischievous prince grinned outright as he leaned in. His dark green eyes focused longingly on her full and throbbing lips. He remembered vividly how sweet she tasted. He didn't wait for her to respond to his question as he watched her eyelids fall at half-mast and the tip of her tongue graze for a moment along her bottom lip. It was a temptation far too great for him to resist.

He moved his lips gently over hers. It was hesitantly at first but when her soft moan reached his ears he wrapped his arms around her tightly as he deepened the kiss. He poured his heart and soul into every movement of his lips, begging her without words to give him a chance. But the bliss didn't last long as he felt her body freeze up in his arms, her hands pressing against his chest as she attempted to extricate herself from his hold.

"Why are you fighting it?" he breathed seductively. His arm still wrapped around the small of her back as his other hand cradled the nape of her neck. He wasn't going to let her go so easily. Maybe that had been his mistake last night. He should have fought harder to change her mind. "I know you feel it to. This thing between us. We could be so wonderful together, little spider."

"Let go of me, Loki, I'm warning you," Natasha ordered as she shoved against his chest.

"You're a strong woman. I've seen you in action," the young god stated with a devilish grin before he began a trail of suckling kisses along her neck. "You would be free of me already if that's what you really wanted. But you want something else entirely, don't you?" Before she could protest his mouth covered hers once more. And for a moment she gave in, kissing him with such passion that he thought he had died and gone to Valhalla.

"Loki," Natasha panted as she broke their kiss again. She sucked in a ragged breath as she shook her head mournfully. "No… no… I don't want this."

"You are a liar, little spider, and you're not the least bit convincing," Loki drawled as he crushed his mouth against hers once more. How he relished her surrender, the trembling of her body and the zeal in her kiss. Then without warning he felt a jolt of pain like nothing he had ever experienced. An electrical charge had shot through his limbs and sent him falling several feet away onto the hard packed dirt. He jumped from the ground in a frenzy of indignation. The pain had caused him to let go of his enchantment, his long black hair falling about his shoulders as he strutted back toward her. "What in the name of Hel was that?"

"It's called the Widow's bite," the Black Widow smirked coldly. "You can't say that I didn't warn you, Loki?"

"Yes… and I believe I warned you as well," the Trickster rasped with a malevolent glare as he raised his hand and with a turn of his wrist both of her bracelets disappeared into thin air. Natasha's eyes darkened and all semblance of calm vanished in a heartbeat as she gazed at her arms.

"Bring them back right now, Loki," the Black Widow bit off angrily.

"I don't think so," the young god smirked as he reinstated his glamour and moved towards his horse. Enjoying her ruffled exterior, he still couldn't believe that she had actually shot him with that weapon. If she wanted a fight then he would gladly give her one. "I believe it is time that we get started on our journey."

"Loki, wait," her voice suddenly softer as he placed his foot in the stirrup and prepared to hoist himself up on the stallion. He stopped mid-motion and glanced back at her as she walked toward him and the horses. "What if something was to happen and I couldn't protect myself?" His annoyance from seconds before instantly faded as he became lost in her sapphire eyes. She was right. What if they ran into trouble along the way. Not to mention the Fire Giants that lived in Muspelheim. She would need every advantage that she could get if she ever had the misfortune of going up against one of them. He would protect her, of course, but what if something happened and she was alone. He couldn't take her weapons from her. He moved his hand in the air with a slight flourish as her black bracelets reappeared on her wrists.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Natasha chided as she mounted the chestnut horse at her side. "It can be quite useful having a god wrapped around your finger."

"Excuse me? Who do you… I…," Loki stuttered as he was flooded simultaneously with anger, embarrassment and exasperation. "You are the most irritating woman… No, no this goes beyond gender. You are the most frustrating creature that I have ever crossed paths with." Had she really just used his feelings for her to get what she wanted? And she was rubbing it in his face on top of it. 'Thank you for your cooperation', did this woman really just have the audacity to say that to him again? He had half a mind to take all of her weapons away just to spite her but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't leave her without the ability to protect herself.

He hauled himself on top of his horse in a huff as he grabbed the reins and steered the animal towards her. "I should be the one to thank you because I think that little shot of electric has finally cured me." He pulled back on the lead as his horse pawed at the gravel with his hooves. The animal was anxious for the command to gallop. "I can't stand you," he lied as his emerald eyes bore into hers. "You are much more trouble than you're worth. I won't bother you again, Agent Romanoff, I promise you that."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 –

The clip clop of the horses' hooves against the gravel would have been a soothing sound had the young god not been so aggravated. A steady strum of people began to increase along the cobble stoned walkways of the capital as they continued to trot through the town square. Vanaheim was indeed a large and massive city. He wanted to get beyond it as soon as possible. He flicked the horses' leads to increase its speed. His dark green eyes caught sight of the flicker of flames along his palm as he handled the reins of his mount. The constant reminder that he was glued to her side until she no longer had use for him only increased the irritability of his current disposition.

'Wrapped around your finger, indeed,' he seethed to himself as he recalled her earlier words. Had the god of mischief truly fallen so low? He refused to look at her. He would not even acknowledge her existence as they meandered through the streets. The silence was deafening even in the midst of all the chatter from the passersby on the sidewalks. The fact that she was more than aware of his weakness for her and fully prepared to use it against him filled him with resentment. She always had the upper hand over him. From the very first second that their lives had crossed paths it had always seemed to be that way. Well, no more.

The gaps between the storefronts became more and more noteworthy as the cobblestoned walkways slowly fell away leading to the more expansive countryside of the realm. Grand farm houses and smaller cottages could be seen in the distance scattered across the landscape. Loki could hear the far-off sounds of other riders coming up from behind them. There was nothing unusual about other people travelling the rural area. There were plenty of homes and other reasons for making your way this far south but something sparked his wariness. The young god took a slight glance backward. There were three men. They were still rather remote but he could make out their long blue cloaks billowing behind them as they increased their speed.

"What is it?" Natasha probed as her horse walked briskly at his side. "Do you know them?" Loki shook his head as he brought his attention back to the dusty road ahead of them.

"No, it's just a hunch." The trickster divulged without preamble. "I believe they are following us."

"You said nobody would recognize you," the Black Widow remarked in her frosty tone. "Remember?"

"That was before you blasted me across the stables because you were too weak-willed to think of any other way to pry your lips from mine," the young god sneered, enjoying the look of outrage that descended over her face for the scantest of moments before she slipped back into her unaffected mask. "I lost hold of my spell for a few moments anyone could have seen me."

"So what do you suggest we do?" she probed. It surprised him for a moment that she would ask his opinion. He was used to her attempting to dole out commands or critiquing his choices repeatedly in her passive aggressive manner. "Confront them... try and lose them?"

"Perhaps a bit of both," He drawled with a sexy smirk.

The mischievous prince dismounted from the sleek, black stallion as he debated whether to attempt to tie him to one of the trees or simply send him off magically until he needed him in the morning. It didn't really matter either way, he supposed as he conjured a bucket of water and feed for the animal.

"So how long will that spell last exactly?" Natasha mused as she moved her horse toward them so it could have a share in the fodder.

"A good ten minutes or so," Loki grinned proudly. He was a great master at the art of illusion. It would be interesting to see the looks on their faces when the duplicates of him and Natasha suddenly vanished into nothingness.

"So how much farther to Nidavellir?" The young god watched as she moved languidly toward the small clearing in the forest that they had marked out as their campsite for the evening.

"This is Nidavellir, little spider," the Trickster divulged as he watched her settle herself upon the thin cushion that he had brought forth for her. His anger from earlier had long since dissipated and he was left with his usual longing and admiration for the woman in front of him. Though he was sure she would irritate him well enough before long. "The actual city is underground but we aren't going to be passing through that. Hopefully, since we are crossing over the surface we won't run into any dwarfs. We are not exactly fond of one another."

"And why is that?" She asked quizzically as she laid her head down on the lush pillow that he had provided. Loki moved to the opposite side of the open space. He had figured it would be best if he set up his makeshift bed as far from her as possible. Her dark blue gaze was filled with curiosity and there was a light in her eyes that was rarely seen.

"When I was fifteen," Loki began. He was almost taken aback with how quickly he had begun to speak. It was something that he hated to talk about. But for some reason he wanted to tell her. She looked so genuinely interested and he wanted her to get to know him. "I got myself in trouble with Thor. I had pulled a prank on the Lady Sif who he had fancied at the time. I suppose I was jealous of the attention she was getting from him. Anyway, I cut off her hair. Magically, mind you, so that it couldn't grow back."

"That's awful, I'm shocked. I can't imagine you doing such a thing," Natasha teased as she sat back up, wrapping her arms around her bent legs as she settled her chin between her knees.

"Needless to say, Thor was… upset," Loki continued with a wry smile. "So to get back in the oaf's good graces I traveled to Nidavellir to get help with a spell to give her back her hair and also a gift that might sooth my brother's ire. While I was there I ended up making a bet with these two irritable little dwarfs as to who could make the greatest prize. The stakes were the loser's head."

"Your head?" Natasha gaped. "Well, I guess you won."

"Not exactly, I was only fifteen," Loki rationalized. It hadn't been one of his most thought out decisions, he mused to himself. "I lost but I reasoned with them that while they won my head, they had no claim on my neck so they couldn't touch me. They sewed my lips together instead. Well, that's the short of it."

"That must have hurt," the Black Widow pondered. "I'm surprised you let them. I wouldn't have thought that you were above welshing on a bet." Loki's dark green eyes stared at her from across the way. The memory of that day coming back with an unexpected amount of force as he recalled his brother holding him down as the dwarfs set about their work. "Loki?"

"My brother made sure that I complied," the young god half-whispered.

"I'm sorry," Natasha conveyed thoughtfully. "That must have made it even more painful."

"That's enough of that talk," Loki shrugged as he moved to lie down. Not that he was going to be getting any sleep, he thought wryly.

"I should tell you a story," the Black Widow entreated as she continued to watch him attentively. "To reciprocate. I only have one honest memory of being Natalia Romanova before the Red Room. I think I was four or maybe five and it had snowed. So much snow that some of the drifts were twice the size of me. I loved snow. I remember making snow angels and dancing. I remember dancing in the snow."

"I know ice magic," Loki divulged as he rose from his place along the ground and moved to stand in front of where she sat. He liked this very much. He had confided in her and she had shared something with him in kind. It was a nice feeling and one that he very much wanted to continue. With a slight spin of his wrist he began to create an intricate rose out of ice floating in the air above his palm. It was complete with a long thin stem and leaves. "Go ahead, take it." The young god waited with baited breath as she stared up at him and the flower that was suspended in midair.

Natasha hesitated at first before she got up and plucked it from the air. "It's cold. It really is made of ice." She grinned as her sapphire eyes beamed up at him. "I guess that means it will melt."

"When it does I will make you another," the young god promised. "It's not like the ice of your world, though. It won't melt right away." Loki watched as she leaned down and placed the delicate sculpture gently on her backpack that was lying adjacent to her pillow. When she turned to face him once more she had a peculiar look about her. He couldn't explain it exactly but she seemed nervous, her smile hadn't dimmed at all as she stepped closer to him.

"You're very different than I thought you would be," Natasha revealed as she rested her hand gently against his forearm. "You keep surprising me and I've… I've never been very fond of surprises." Loki watched in puzzlement as her gaze fell to the floor. Her words seemed to indicate displeasure but her tone and demeanor was telling him the opposite. Then those sweet blue eyes were peering up at him again as she leaned up on her toes and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"I want you, Loki." Natasha whispered breathlessly. Before her lips descended upon his with such unbridled desire that he could barely comprehend what was happening. "I can't fight it anymore." She grabbed the sides of his vest as she slid it roughly down his arms and continued to kiss him passionately. "I want you… I want you, I do." He shrugged the garment off and he let it fall to the ground. Their mouths barely parted except for quick intakes of breath. By the nines, he thought to himself as his entire body shook with need. It was finally happening. He was going to make her his. There was nothing he wanted more. She withdrew slightly, a provocative smile on her lips as she trailed a finger down the length of his throat until she reached the light hairs of his chest that were peeking through the open collar of his shirt. His emerald eyes were captivated by the sight of her and the untamed lust in her gaze. A hunger for him. Fates be praised that he wasn't dreaming. She clutched the edges of her purple tunic and pulled it over her head in one swift motion.

"Natalia," Loki murmured as he pulled her in for another kiss. He moved his lips along her jawline to the soft spot behind her ear as he relished in the low moans that escaped her throat. "Natalia… How I've longed for you, little spider." The taste of her skin was divine. Everything about her was sweet perfection. She grabbed at the belt of his pants but he took hold of her hands halting her progress. "Patience… patience, my little spider." He guided her down onto the soft bedding that he had laid out earlier. "I want to savor every moment with you." Her lips curved against his in a gorgeous smile as he kissed her once more.

Natasha slid her hands underneath his green shirt. He groaned at the feel of her fingertips against his bare skin. He drew his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. The look on her face while she took in the sight of the contours of his chest made his breath catch. She truly wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He moved his long, slender fingers along the buttons of her shift. Slowly undoing them one by one while he left a soft wet kiss in a trail along her body. "Oh my god." She whispered unsteadily as he made his way to her stomach. "You feel so good." He explored her with slow deliberation. He could feel her body come alive beneath his lips. "This had to happen." Her mouth was on his shoulder, licking and nipping at his skin. Her hands tightening against his hips as she arched her body into his. He nearly growled at the motion. It felt so good. The evidence of his arousal straining against his pants. He wanted to go slow but she was making it so very difficult. "I want this so much."

"Yes." His voice was breathy and barely audible as he moved back up her body to her lace covered breasts. "Valhalla," he hummed against her skin. "I wanted you from the very first moment that I saw you." He grinned wickedly as he recalled that the hook for her bra was in the front. "I've always wanted you, Natalia." He unsnapped it quickly. Loki guided the lacey material aside and lowered his mouth to the lush rosy nipple. Paradise, she was paradise pure and simple.

"I need this." She purred as her fingers tangled in his long black hair. Her hips pressing into his hardness and driving him near insane. Never in his life had he wanted a woman more. He had never felt this strongly for anyone. He had never been in love before. "Just once, just once so I can get it out of my system." Feverish and desperate to strip off the rest of their clothes he almost didn't register what she had said. But then it hit him. Comprehension striking him in the worst possible way. She might desire him but not the same way that he wanted her. He stood up abruptly as he reached for his shirt. "Why are you stopping?" She questioned as she pulled the edges of her shift together. Her dark blue eyes filled with bewilderment.

"I'm not something for you to get out of your system." Loki snapped angrily. Her words running through his mind all over again. She thought if she slept with him once that she wouldn't be plagued by him anymore. The Fates forbid she should want a monster like him. That was what she was thinking he was sure. Disappointment filled him to the bone. He had thought that he had won her heart and the knowledge that he hadn't hurt him more than he thought possible.

"I just meant… Loki, I'm offering myself to you. Don't you want me?" Natasha asked. Her voice was timid and shaky as she buttoned the first few fasteners of her shirt. He was taken aback by the emotion so plainly on her face as she sat there gazing up at him. But then her cold mask settled back over her as she stood up and moved toward him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body pressed against his chest as she reclaimed his mouth. He wanted her for so long and he could have her. But he didn't want just one moment. By the All-Father, if he made love to her now only to have her turn him away after it would kill him. "I'm ready for all the pleasures that you promised me." She inhaled softly as she moved her lips along his shoulders. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away from him.

"No… I'm sorry but you'll have to look elsewhere to satisfy your little kink to bed a monster." The young god rasped indignantly. That was all that he would ever be to her. The would-be tyrant of Midgard. The man that turned her precious archer into a mindless peon. So what was the point?

"Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that. I don't think that about you." Natasha insisted as she began to lose the grip on her calm façade.

"And what do you think of me? Or better yet, what do you feel for me?" Loki prodded.

"I thought that was obvious." The black widow answered. Her voice was thick with sarcasm. She closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath. Loki sighed audibly as he watched her dark blue orbs open back up and bore into his own. The Ice Queen had returned in full force. "You've been after me for days and now here I am. Take me while you can."

"No… this is not what I want… not this way." Loki insisted as he pulled his shirt back over his head. Shutting out her emotions was so engrained in her that he wondered if she was even capable of stopping.

"You are a coward." She said in a manner that was all business. "What's the matter the game isn't any fun for you anymore?" She strode forward so that there was only inches between them as she peered up at him. Her lush red curls in disarray, her lips still swollen and her face flushed from their encounter. It was such a stark contrast to the coolness of her voice and the aloofness of her demeanor. "You only want me when you can't have me."

"But I won't have you. That's the point." The young god contended.

"What did you expect to happen?" Natasha replied mockingly. "We were going to bask in the afterglow… Declare our undying love for one another like some Disney fairytale? Don't tell me that you actually think that you love me."

"I may be a monster but at least I have a heart." Loki derided. She wasn't the only one who could hide behind a frosty veneer. He pursed his lips in a sneer as he steeled himself from the ache that had flooded him at her quick dismissal of his affections as if someone like him was incapable of the feeling. "If you'll pardon me, I need to get some sleep. We have quite a bit of ground to cover tomorrow and the faster we get through it the closer I'll be to finally ridding myself of you."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 –

Love is for children that was what she had told him and he had agreed wholeheartedly. If the truth be told it was one of the many things that impressed him about her. Once he got over the sting of falling into her trap. He had thought that she was in love with Barton and that her detached façade was one that he could break. He had watched her crumble and took great pride in a job well done only to discover that it was a ploy. The distraught and anguished woman was the mask and that her frosty veneer was her truest self. It was then that he realized what similar creatures they were. A begrudging respect she had earned from him that day. Love indeed was a childish commodity.

He had long since rid himself of such childish sentiments. Not even his mother was allowed behind the walls that he had so painstakingly built over the last few years. So how was it that this mortal woman had found her way inside of his heart? The Fates had a wicked sense of humor, he mused. That he should finally open his heart to a woman who had no desire for such things. Well, he was just going to have to extricate her from it that was all there was to it. He had finally understood last night that his affections would never be returned as much as it pained him to admit it. Well, he had hardened his heart once and he could do it again.

In fact he had decided to treat her exactly as he had treated Frigga for the last ten months. He would simply ignore her. The thought of his mother only increased his ire as he glanced at the flamed dragon that was sprawled across his palm. This was all her fault. Her and her damned magic, he seethed. If she had not meddled in his life he wouldn't have been stuck traipsing around the realms with this woman. He would have never gotten to know her and his heart wouldn't be aching in his chest as it was now. Why would she help the Black Widow anyway? If his mother had held a means to free him from those bars than why hadn't she done it earlier? Why force him to go on this journey? How did taking her to get this damned flower suddenly make him worthy of his liberty?

"How much farther before we reach the passage?" Natasha inquired as she trotted up along at his right side. The young god didn't make the smallest movement in her direction. This was the first time that she had spoken to him since they had broken camp. They had been travelling for hours. He had begun to enjoy the silence.

"Ten or fifteen minute at the most," he stated simply as he gave a quick flick of his reins and a slight tap of the horses sides to speed up his gate. The sooner they arrived there the better. The black widow followed suit as she reappeared moments later at his left flank.

"Are you trying to lose me?" He could hear a faint teasing tone to her voice. It reminded him of her demeanor when they had shared stories the previous evening. He opened his mouth to speak before he closed it firmly. As difficult as it was he forced himself to keep his eyes forward. If he could ignore his mother for months on end, he was certainly capable of snubbing the woman next to him for a few days.

"I don't think you're a monster," The black widow contended as their horses continued to ride along at an even keel. Her voice was in its usual calming tone but there was just the barest hint of uneasiness as she spoke and she seemed to have trouble finding her words. "I just… I just wanted to make that clear. I don't think that at all. You're… Well, that's… that's just not what I think."

Loki kept his gaze forward as difficult as it was to do. The truth was that he longed to look at her. He could feel the quickening of his heart just at her nearness. He berated himself for his weakness. A deficit that she was all too aware of and had no problem using against him when it suited her. He refused to let himself put too much into her words. She was probably just attempting to pacify him to ensure his cooperation. She had made her feelings or lack thereof more than apparent regardless of what she might think of him. Monster or not she would never care for him, not the way he wanted her to. He was through setting himself up for the inevitable disappointment that would follow. When he made no attempt at a response she let her horse fall behind as they continued on their trek as they had been.

Loki dismounted the stallion when they finally reached the edge of the dense forest. It was barely a few more feet to the passageway. He could see the large rock formation from here. The young god released his reins and with a flick of his wrist he dispensed with both horses sending them off until they were needed for their return trip. They would be no use to them in Muspelheim. He strutted towards the boulders with his usual regal air. This journey was nearly half done. He sighed to himself. It wouldn't be much longer before he was free of her. Why did that have to be a sad thought? Why did his heart refuse to cooperate with his head? The woman had brought him nothing but pain and aggravation.

"How do you open it?" Natasha remarked as she stared at the strange carvings along the granite surface.

"With magic, of course," he snipped as he traced his finger the length of one of the etchings. "I thought that was obvious." His lips turned down in a frown as he mimicked the words that she had spoken to him the night before.

Natasha raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head to face him. He needed to control his temper. He was only proving to her the affect that she had on him. He was determined to disentangle himself from the influence that she retained over him. Suddenly his autonomy from her became even more essential to him than the freedom from the dungeons that he had been so eager to maintain. He was the God of Mischief not some love sick fool.

"Well than why don't you do it," the black widow ordered in her emotionless tone. "What are you waiting for?"

"I need to find the right markings," he divulged, his voice was more even as he attempted to lock away his needless sentiments. It was then that his eyes grazed along the backpack that she wore. He noted that the corner was darkened to a much deeper brown then the rest of the sack as small beads of water dropped in succession leaving a faint puddle in the dirt behind her. "Your bag is leaking." He realized what it was that was causing it as the words left his lips and it surprised him that she had brought it with her.

"What… oh…," Natasha mumbled as she slipped the knapsack from her shoulders and opened it swiftly. She lifted the half melted bud into her hand. All that remained were a few petals of the icy figurine. "It was too pretty to leave behind and I couldn't exactly hold it while I was riding." The simple honesty of her words surprised him. And the sentimentality of her keeping it at all shocked him. He watched as she let the last bit of ice slip from her fingers and join the tiny pool that lay at her feet.

"I would make you another but it would melt in two seconds where we are going," the young god told her wryly before he returned to searching the engravings of the massive stones. His mood had lightened considerably. And though he wished that his frame of mind could not be so easily altered by something as trifling as her holding onto his handiwork, there was nothing he could do about it. He tried not to put too much importance on it. He bent down on one knee so that he could get a better look at the markings near the bottom of the boulder. She knelt down at his side and leaned in to take a closer look.

"What do they mean?" she prodded curiously as her dark blue eyes gazed up into his. They weren't as cold as he remembered them not exactly warm either but there was something about her stare that made him lick his lips expectantly. He turned away from her swiftly as he felt his pulse quicken. He would not make a fool out of himself again.

"Muspelheim is a sizeable realm," the young prince divulged as he continue to move his fingers along the carved stone. "Each mark represents a different part of their land that this passage could open into."

"Do you know where the flamedragon plants grow? Where we can find them most easily?" She continued to question as she shifted her body almost imperceptibly closer to his. He whipped his head toward her, his dark green eyes narrowing with suspicion. What was she up to?

"I have an idea," Loki advised her stonily as he tapped his finger brusquely against the rock. "I believe that it is this area here."

The Black Widow leaned forward slightly as she pressed her lips against his. Her hands enfolded around his neck as she tugged him closer and deepened the kiss. His heart beat accelerated to near deadly proportions as he struggled to keep himself from wrapping her up in his arms. At the same time he couldn't stop kissing her. He reveled in the sensations of her mouth moving so passionately against his. His intellect combating with his heart for dominance until his brain finally won out as he jumped to his feet leaving her staring up at him in confusion.

"Why would you do that?" the young god rasped indignantly.

"For luck," She smiled faintly before her sapphire eyes returned to her normal businesslike stare.

"Whatever your game is," Loki remarked coolly. "I no longer have any desire to play it. So if you'll move out of my way I'd like to open it now."

"I don't understand why you are angry with me," Natasha replied offhandedly as she rose from the ground and stepped away to give him room to work his spell. "Or what it is exactly that I did last night to set you off." He hated her calm demeanor. It seemed so easy for her to attain. It was as if it was no different for her to master than the art of breathing while he thrashed about inside of himself for every tiny bit of coolness that he could muster in her presence. "Why can't we just enjoy each other's company?"

"What do you want from me?" Loki frothed. "We are but moments from crossing into this realm and getting what it is you need. The only reason you're here."

"I don't know… something… I enjoy kissing you," She admitted simply, no hint of any real emotion on her features or her voice. He couldn't read her at all and he didn't like it. At least if he saw lust in her eyes he wouldn't feel like a lamb at the slaughter. She had far too much control over the situation for his liking. Something that he was suddenly very determined to change.

"Do you, little spider? Is that what this is?" the young god breathed in his silky accent as he moved away from the boulders and closer to her. "Do you want me to kiss you? To bed you? It comes with a price." He grabbed her roughly by the arms before seizing her mouth in a heated kiss. "The moment that I take you, will be the moment that you become mine. Do you understand?" His tongue slipped between her lips and she met it with her own. He could feel her hunger for him. Her cold demeanor melting with every caress of their lips. His hands slid around her back, pulling her closer. Her breasts pressed against his shirt. He could feel her heart beat, the labored sounds of her breathing as her hands took hold of his hips.

"I would kill any man who ever even thought that he could touch you." He promised wickedly as his mouth found that soft spot behind her ear that sent delightful shivers along her skin. He reached between them and cupped her swollen breast, massaging it sensually as his name fell from her lips. The sound of which nearly drove him over the edge. "And I will never let you leave me." He suckled along her neck, determined to leave a mark as he lightly grinded his body into hers. "You will be mine and mine alone." He breathed in her scent as he became almost lost in the sensations that surrounded him. The taste of her lips, the insistent pulse that tingled through him as their bodies touched and her moans. By the nines, those soft and delicious sounds that she made with each and every kiss, every touch of his hands, every thrust of his hip. He would take her right here, right now if she would let him.

No, no, he thought suddenly. He was losing himself in her again and he couldn't let that happen. He had kissed her with a purpose in mind although at the moment he had forgotten what that was exactly. He had merely intended to breakdown her glacial exterior, to prove that he could affect her.

He jerked her away from him as they both stood there staring up at each other, their breathing emerging in gasps. He searched her face and for a moment he became hopeful. Her sapphire eyes were heated and filled with unrestrained desire. And if he had such an influence over her than perhaps finding his way into her heart was not so impossible. But within second's she had steeled herself , putting her emotions back under lock and key as her frosty veneer took over. She hooked her finger in the collar of his green shirt as if to yank him back toward her but he grabbed her hand and pulled it away from him. It was obvious what she wanted. Only he wanted much more. He wanted all of her, everything. Her heart, mind, body, all of it. And he wasn't going to settle for less.

"Do you want to be mine, little spider?" His voice was husky and filled with need. He lifted her hand to his mouth, teasing each finger with his lips and tongue as his emerald gaze bore into her own.

"I don't want to belong to anyone," Natasha stated flatly. "But I would like…"

"That's my bargain, Natalia, my price," Loki interrupted as he tossed her hand away from him. His face like stone as he stalked forward so that she had to crane her neck upward or she would have been staring at his chest. "Don't you dare touch me again unless you're willing to pay it!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 –

Loki knelt down on the ground with his hands strategically placed along the etchings of the boulder as he began to run through the incantation in his mind. He felt a pang in his chest at the knowledge that her need for his help was nearly complete. The thought of his freedom from the Black Widow was no longer something that gave him even the remotest bit of pleasure.

"Loki," her cool voice came from behind him and he sighed audibly. He could feel the tremor in his body at her sudden nearness. This woman was going to be the death of him. He was sure. What possible reason could she have for disturbing him? "You can't just say those things and then walk away as if you said nothing."

"I cannot open the passage with you nagging away in my ear," the young god snapped. "Just let me do what you brought me here for."

"I think I deserve a chance to respond. You didn't even let me finish what I was going to say," Natasha insisted, the slightest hint of sentiment in her voice. Loki turned his head and gazed up at her at the sound. It was so rare for her to show even the smallest sentimentality.

"I was quite certain that you already had," the trickster abraded as he stood up from the gravelly dirt beneath him. "You have made your feelings or lack thereof very clear now if you don't mind."

"This is difficult for me… I've never let myself… I'm not use to this," the black widow stumbled out quietly. She was nervous, he could see it plainly. She took another step closer and placed her hands gingerly along his green shirt. "I'm willing," she whispered, her voice clearly trembling now as she leaned up on the tips of her toes. "Make me yours, Loki."

With a rush of movement he crushed his lips to hers. Her hands were pressed against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and devoured her greedily. He felt like he had been waiting his entire life to hear those words. Her hands glided up under his shirt and every inch of his body trembled at the contact.

"You have no idea how badly I want you, Natalia," the young god moaned against her throat. She moved away from him slightly, her dark blue eyes gazing up at him with utter lust as she batted her lashes seductively.

"What are you waiting for?" She smiled as she pulled him in for another kiss.

"Loki, what are you waiting for?" her voice came at him again and broke him away from his thoughts as he knelt at the side of the large rock. He looked up, her dark blue eyes gazing down at him coldly. He abraded himself internally for letting his mind wander so easily. As if there was any chance of her ever speaking those words to him.

"This is a complicated enchantment," the young prince snipped with more venom in his voice than he would have liked. He was annoyed with himself more than her. He hated showing his emotions so plainly. He used to be so much better at keeping his feelings hidden. The woman was a thorn in his side. "And the more you bother me the longer it will take." The mischievous prince concentrated on the carvings before him as he went through the spell once more. The boulder began to shimmer and glow until the image of a hot, dusty expanse of sand and rocks appeared against its surface.

"There it is ready," Loki advised as he motioned for her to walk through while he took a step forward into the glimmering picture. The heat was blistering the moment that he passed within the mystical passage. Muspelheim was like living on a volcanic desert. Being a frost giant made the temperature even more unbearable as he felt the sweat drip from his pours. "I'm enacting an invisibility spell," he told her as she moved through the opening to stand at his side. "So that we will not be seen by the Fire Giants but you must stay close to me. If you move too far out of my range than it will falter, do you understand?"

"I'm not a child," Natasha advised in her icy tone. "I can follow directions."

They moved along the dusty terrain as they searched for any signs of vegetation. He imagined this must be what Hel was like. The extreme heat was working havoc on his body and he was beginning to think that it might be affecting his magic. He felt a definite shift in his power, a slight weakening in his sense of the mystical energy that dwelled within him. He shuddered to think what might happen if he spent much longer in this realm. Just when he started to think that no such flower existed they spotted a small patch embedded along the edges of several clusters of large rocks.

Natasha laid down her knapsack and pulled out a large plastic container. She kneeled down and began picking the blue flamedragon's carefully as she placed them inside the clear box. He moved to his knees as he started picking more flowers. He wasn't sure exactly how many she needed but he assumed she would want to get as much as possible. His dark green eyes began to drift towards her petite hands as they plucked the stems gently between her fingers. He could almost feel them on his chest as the memory of the night that he had almost made love to her came crashing into his mind. He dropped his gaze immediately. The Fates forbid that she caught him staring at her. He resigned himself not to let his eyes linger on her anymore as he placed the flowers that he collected inside the carton.

He stood up and turned his attention back to where they had come from. She could grab the rest of them herself, he thought wryly as he tried to clear his mind. He needed to find a way to put an end to these feelings once and for all. Soon he would be free and what good would his liberty be if he continued to pine over this woman. The first thing that he felt was the dispersing of his spell. He whipped his head around and saw that the Black Widow was nowhere in his sight. Where in the name of Hel did she go? He heard the sound of gunshots and darted towards the direction of the noise.

The young god skirted the corner to find her shooting her weapons at a wild bilgesnipe or at least what would pass as a larger, carroty colored version of the beasts that dwelled in Asgard. He heaved a sigh of relief as he watched the crazed animal collapse to the ground before he rounded on her in a fit of rage.

"Which part of stay at my side eluded your grasp of understanding?" Loki shouted angrily.

"I'm not sure how many flamedragons they will need to make the cure," Natasha replied without a hint of emotion. "I'm just doing my job."

"And what good would thousands of them be if you are not alive to deliver them?" the trickster chided.

The sound of footsteps shook along the terrain as a Fire Giant walked toward them. The monstrous red beast was three times his size. Its crimson skin and long pointed horns glowed with an eerie demonic light. "You don't belong here," it growled as it sent a burst of fire roaring in their direction. Loki pushed her out of the way as the flame scorched his shoulder blade. He hissed in pain as he sent a flurry of daggers at the fiend. The third of which hit the creature right between the eyes causing him to collapse to his death as Loki heaved a sigh of relief.

"I can take care of myself," Natasha bit off indignantly as she rose from the ground. "How dare you push me that way." The Black Widow's dark blue eyes glanced at his shoulder. A hole had been seared right through his leather vest and shirt and the skin was blistered. A softness fell over her face as she observed the wound but her words remained cold. "That's what you get for being a chauvinistic pig."

"Your concern for me is so touching, Agent Romanoff," Loki remarked sarcastically as he reinstated his spell to make them invisible from the other inhabitants of the realm. The scolded skin was extremely painful but he wasn't about to show even the tiniest bit of discomfort. "Shall we go now?"

"How long will it take to heal?" the Black Widow probed. Her voice had returned to its usual calming timber.

"Don't worry it will have no effect on my ability to take us out of this place." The mischievous prince advised purposefully ignoring her question. The fact was that with his enhanced healing it should be back to normal in a few days and once he got out of this realm he could try a healing spell that could speed up the time even more. He was too weakened from the boiling hotness of the world around him to attempt anything now.

"You shouldn't have done it," Natasha reiterated, holding her backpack tightly in her hands. "Don't ever do it again."

"I do what I want," Loki commanded regally as he strutted towards the passage. He knelt down in one swift motion as he reached his fingers toward the etchings. He made the mistake of using his injured arm and the pain that shot through his shoulder at the movement caused a groan to escape his lips against his will.

"It will heal quickly won't it?" the black widow entreated, her voice filled with concern.

"Do you truly worry for me, little spider?" his voice was no more than a low whisper as he looked up at her inquisitively.

"I just don't want anything to slow us down," Natasha replied frigidly as her mask settled back into place.

Loki exhaled in a huff as he turned back to the rock and started the enchantment so that they could leave this dreaded realm. Why did he insist on letting himself hope that she would have a change of heart about him? He had a greater chance of being crowned King of Asgard by legitimate means. The young god brought back their horses as he tried to hold in another hiss of pain while he pulled himself up onto the mount. He would try a healing spell as soon as they made their first camp. He didn't want to waste any time getting out of Nidavellir. He truly had no desire to run into any dwarfs. If he never saw another one for as long as he lived it would be too soon.

The young god sat along the thin bedding that he had laid out in the small cove that they had discovered. It was a stroke of luck that they had come across it as the rain had begun to tumble down mere moments before. It didn't shower often in this land but when it did the storms were torrential. Loki rid himself of his ruined shirt and vest with a flick of his fingers as he tilted his head to gaze at the damage that the Fire Giant had inflicted upon him. He pressed his hand along the lacerations and started to recite the words of his spell in his mind.

"What are you doing?" Natasha's icy voice came at him, breaking his focus and causing the pale light that had begun to emerge along his finger tips to evaporate.

"What is your problem now?" he exasperated without moving his eyes away from the lesion. "If the sight of me undressed is too much for you than turn away."

"Get over yourself as if you're god's gift to women," the Black Widow bit off heatedly. The mischievous prince couldn't help but grin at the fire in her voice and the irritation that she was so plainly showing. He may not be allowed near her heart but at least he could get under her skin. "I was merely asking out of curiosity."

"Let me explain something to you, little spider," Loki pronounced dryly as he placed his fingers along the blisters once more. "Casting a spell requires words which in turn require my full attention. When you speak to me during it I lose my focus. So if you don't mind." He made another attempt at the incantation. The light flowed from his fingers and created a small shimmer across his skin. He could feel some of the sting dissipating on contact and the red sores faded considerably. He gazed back up at her when he was through. "To answer your earlier question it should be back to normal in another day at most."

The black widow made no response from her place on the other side of the tiny cave. She lied her head down on the small pillow that he had provided and situated the blanket that he had given her comfortably across her body. Loki laid back as well, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he waited for her to fall asleep. When he was all but certain that she was in a sound slumber he turned himself gingerly on his side and extended his hand out in her direction as he started to work his enchantment. He decided to give her a winter wonderland this evening as he smiled slightly to himself, his fingers moving in a languid motion when she suddenly shot up from her resting place.

"What are you doing?" Natasha probed accusingly. Her dark blue eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"I wasn't doing anything… I'm trying to sleep… why don't you do the same?" Loki lied as he turned away from her. He enclosed his fingers together as he rested them on his stomach.

"You were casting a spell on me weren't you?" Natasha insisted as she stood up in a huff. "It's true, isn't it? … admit it."

"You're paranoid, little spider. I can't do anything to you, remember? If I was trying to hurt you I would be back in my lovely glass home." The young god insisted as he held his palm out to her as if to prove the truth in his words. The flaming dragon practically glowed in the dim light given off by the crackling fire burning in the center of their camp.

"I knew it," She divulged, her voice almost cracking as she stepped closer. "I always dream of the red room… nearly every night for as long as I can remember. Of the training or even worse the missions that I went on for them… the people I killed." She stepped even closer as she loomed over him. Her sapphire eyes were brimming over with emotion. "But not since that first night when I caught you… you said you were trying to calm me. Every night I've had these peaceful dreams of parks and seashores and… every night except the night at the tavern." She turned her back toward him for a moment as she took a deep breath. Loki was amazed by the honest feeling in her words as he sat up cautiously. "You've been giving me these dreams haven't you?"

"Yes," Loki admitted.

"Well, stop it," She turned back to him in a fury. "Do you hear me? Stop it. I can't feel for you I can't. I'm not built that way. I was raised to… emotions are nothing but weakness… just a failing that can be exposed by your enemies."

"Not always," the young god entreated as he stood up and closed the distance between them. She had never been so open with him before. Could she feel something for him, after all? "Sometimes they make you stronger."

"Why can't you just be the man that I met in the helicarrier?" she pleaded weakly. "Please stop looking at me that way."

"I could just as soon stop breathing," Loki whispered huskily as he enclosed her face in his hands. "It's your fault. You make me want to be different… to be anything other than what I was… you make me want to be that." She knocked his arms away from her forcefully and he winced at the throbbing pain that shot through his shoulder at the action.

"I'm sorry," Natasha revealed apologetically. "I didn't mean to hurt you I just…"

"It didn't hurt that much," the trickster contended, his sparkling emerald eyes staring at her longingly. She felt something for him but she was fighting it. He could see it so plainly in her face. "Being this close to you and not being able to touch you… hurts so much more." He leaned in and captured her lips in a passionate kiss but this time she made no move to fight him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as her lips moved against his in a frenzy of desire. He was afraid to hope, afraid to think at all as he surrendered himself to the sensations of being so close to the woman that he loved.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 –

Loki was not one to be hopeful. He was a realist by nature. Some would say a pessimist at heart. But all that changed the moment that her soft pink lips began to devour his. There should have been a voice reminding him that her feelings, if she even had any for him at all, were leagues below his. That the odds were far more in favor that the zeal with which she rubbed her body against him was solely from a physical need and when the moment was over her frosty bearing would return tenfold. He should be retelling himself that by her own admission she was incapable of emotions and that she deemed them a failure to be snuffed out of existence. He should have put a wall around his heart to protect himself from her inevitable rejection that was bound to come sooner or later.

He should have but he didn't. No, Loki had no other thought except how delicious it was when the fingers of her left hand ran down his chest and grazed over his abdomen. The divine way her other hand had fisted in his hair as she pulled him ever closer. The manner with which every inch of her body seemed to crave him dispelled all logical deliberations from his brain. He would gladly accept the unavoidable heartache that loomed over him like a shadow to seize the mind-numbing pleasure that was laid out before him right now.

The young god moved his hand under her shirt and tunic gliding upwards painstaking slow until he finally cupped her breast over the fabric of her bra. She gasped, breaking their kiss as her dark blue eyes stared up at him nervously. Her breathing erratic and her face flushed. She had never looked more beautiful. He kneaded the tender flesh, licking his lips seductively as he watched her eyes roll backward at the sensation. He dipped his head to her throat suckling his way towards her ear. She pushed him away from her slightly as her gaze dropped to the small space that she had created between them.

"I just… I need a second to catch my breath," she murmured as she inhaled deeply before turning her sapphire eyes back to his. He could see the difference immediately. The coolness of her stare and her perfectly even breathing were like night and day from a second before. She inclined her head as if to kiss him but he grabbed her face in his hands to halt her movements.

"Don't freeze up on me," Loki ordered. "I have no desire to bed the Ice Queen. That might be good enough to please your little mortals but it is not enough to satisfy me."

"You want too much from me," Natasha remarked coolly as she wrapped her fingers around his wrists. But she made no attempt to remove his hands from her face. "I can't give you what you want."

"You can give me more than you think," the young god breathed seductively as he brushed his lips tantalizingly over hers causing her breath to hitch. "Don't retreat into that little box that you love so much… stay here with me… stop trying so hard to contain your emotions, little spider. Forget about them and just concentrate on me." He moved his hand back up under her shirt palming her stomach as he felt her shiver in response. "Yield to me, little spider," he whispered against her ear, flicking his tongue along her earlobe as she tilted her head back and moaned audibly. "Yes, that's it… let go… let me have you, Natalia, the real you… you won't regret it."

Her hands anchored themselves to his hips as his arms locked around her back. An intense pleasure flooded through him every place that their bodies touched. He wanted her more than anything else in the nine realms. He took a step backward to lead them to the makeshift bed that he had laid along the cave floor. He faltered slightly as his body swayed momentarily against his will. He wasn't sure what was wrong but he knew something was happening. His head felt weighted suddenly as the pain in his shoulder increased.

"Loki?" Natalia probed, her voice filled with concern as he attempted to stabilize himself. "What is it? What's wrong? Loki, your skin…"

His eyes widened in alarm when he saw the blue hue crawl up along his fingers and make its path further and further up his arm. The mischievous prince tried to concentrate and will away his Jotunn form before it overtook him completely despite his inner protests. He had no desire for her to see him like this. Anything but this, he thought desperately, he didn't want her to look upon the monster that he truly was. But it seemed that he had lost control of the image that his flesh took as his head grew heavier and sweat began to descend down his brow. Loki stumbled to the cave floor.

"Loki, what's happening?" the black widow asked as she fell to his side. "Your burn it looks worse."

He turned his head weakly towards his shoulder. The red blisters looked almost purple against the blue flesh but more than that he could see a dark violet line fanning out along his arm. It seemed to be following the path of his veins. His head felt even cloudier and the heat was beginning to get unbearable.

"I have a fever… something's not right," Loki divulged as his crimson eyes attempted to focus on the woman at his side. "I think… frost giant… the heat… like a poison." His words were choppy as he struggled against the lightheaded feeling that was threatening to overtake him.

"What can I do for you?" Natasha inquired anxiously. "Loki… Loki… Don't close your eyes. What do you mean poison? You have to tell me how to help you." He could hear her voice but it was distant and it kept fading farther and farther away no matter how hard he tried to stop it.

The young god found himself in a strange mist as he walked the icy terrain. The snow at his feet was deep enough that he was having a difficult time traipsing through the frozen ground. Despite, the frigid weather, Loki had never felt hotter. The sweat was dripping from his pores as he pushed on. He had no idea where he was or where he was headed. He wasn't sure of much of anything at all.

"The bastard son returns," a deep voice grumbled through the fog as the vapor began to dissipate. Loki didn't recognize the voice but he knew who the beast was even before his red eyes became visible through the mist.

"You're dead," Loki rasped as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "I should know. I killed you myself." It was then that he noticed that his hands were blue. 'No, no,' he thought mournfully, 'this is wrong.' He wasn't supposed to look like this. He closed his eyes as he tried to bring forth his Aesir form. The disappointment was plain on his face when he opened them only to find himself still looking very much like a Frost Giant.

"You cannot change what you are," Laufey taunted. "Do you think just because you shape-shifted this form away that it somehow makes you one of them? You will never be anything more than this."

"You're wrong. I am not one of you. I'm nothing like you," Loki insisted as the heat boiled through his veins. Why was he so hot?

"Hide behind your pale skin as much as you want, Laufeyson," the Frost Giant taunted. "It will never rid you of the monster within."

"Loki, wake up please." A woman's voice called out faintly in the distance. The young god tilted his head in the direction of the noise. It tugged at him but he couldn't place it.

"That's not true. I don't want to be that," He murmured softly as he stared longingly ahead of him, hoping to hear the woman once more. "I can be different. I've changed so much already."

"Is that what you think?" Laufey sneered. "And what makes you so different?"

"I… I…," Loki began but he couldn't answer. His mind felt foggy. Something deep inside of him was telling him that he wasn't the same as he once was but he wasn't sure why. He wasn't certain of anything except the heat that seemed to be burning him up from the inside. "I just know that I am."

"You are a fool," The Frost Giant growled. "A fool who thought that killing me would somehow wipe my genes from your body. I am in your blood and the ice will always flow through your veins. You're a monster even she knows it will always be so."

Loki's crimson eyes narrowed at the old King's words. He was talking about the woman, the voice that he had heard. He knew it without question. He should go to her. But he was no longer sure which way the voice had come from and how far could he get when he felt as if he were melting where he stood.

"You are a killer like me, a schemer like me and a self-seeking dictator like me," Laufey chuckled evilly. "If not for your pathetic size you would have made me proud."

"Damn it, Loki… please I don't know what else to do." The voice echoed in the void, flowing towards him as if it was being carried along on a breeze. "I just… I need… I need for you to open your eyes."

"I'm not supposed to be here," Loki snipped as he took a few tentative steps through the haze to find the source of the voice.

"Where else would you go? Valhalla?" Laufey cackled. "Did you really think you could win the heart of that one? She is much better suited for your fake brother."

Loki whipped his head back toward the Frost Giant, his crimson eyes practically glowing with ire. His entire being was filled with rage and jealousy at the Jotunn King's words. He longed to kill him all over again. His hatred overtaking him until there was very little room for anything else.

"And the beast awakens," Laufey goaded as he began to laugh in an unnervingly deep rumble. "Tell me again how you've changed, boy."

"Stop acting like you know me," the young god seethed as he balled his hands into fists. His shirt was damp from the sweat that permeated his body and the anger that surged within him was only increasing his temperature. "You don't know me at all."

"I hate you." The voice was louder and more pronounced as it lofted across the terrain. It seemed much closer then before and he could almost picture her as he fought to regain his clarity through the murkiness that was overshadowing his thoughts. "You can't just weasel your way into my… my… and then do this. Why did you get in front of me? I can take care of myself. I've always taken care of myself. I don't need you. I was perfectly fine before you started to… Loki, can you hear me? Please don't leave me."

"This is not where I belong," Loki stated firmly. The sentiment in her voice was overwhelming. It surprised him to hear it, though he wasn't quite sure why. He took another step towards her but the drifts seemed to have gotten deeper and the heat inside of him was making him feel faint as if all of his energy was being melted down and dissolving away from him.

"If not here then where?" the Frost Giant gibed with an eerie grin. "Asgard? How quickly they disowned you. How easily they discarded you once you proved yourself to be of no more value to them." Loki felt the truth of his words. He was no more than a stolen relic. How simple it was for Odin to cast him off. Asgard was not his home. He had no family. He was alone.

"Please let this work." Her lilting timber fluttered over him, willing him to come closer. "Loki, come back to me." The young god's entire body shivered as he felt the sensation of lips brushing against his forehead. Her image becoming clearer in his mind.

"She loves the snow," He said absently as he concentrated on the picture in his head. The long strawberry curls, her face coming more and more into focus. A cool breeze began to waft through him as if it were billowing along his veins destroying the sweltering warmth in its wake. He could sense her fingertips stroking his arm.

"You will never be more than the pathetic viper that stands before me," Laufey promised venomously. "Not to her or any other."

"Go haunt someone else," Loki rasped as he felt his strength returning to him. The sensation of her touches getting stronger. This wasn't real. It was just a nightmare. She was real and he needed to wake up. His fever was breaking and his thoughts were becoming more lucid. It was as if he was floating upward to consciousness, further and further away from the fog that was falling from his mind. The icy world was now somewhere far beneath him.

"She will never love you." Laufey's voice called out for one final jeer.

"I love her… that's all that matters," the young god insisted as he felt himself on the brink of waking. His eyelids pulsating rapidly as he continued to strive to regain control of his movements. Her breath whispered against his skin as the sound of her filled his ears. A peculiar sense of liquid rolled down his cheek like tears only he knew they weren't his.

Dark emerald eyes opened to find Natasha leaning over him as she pressed her dampened tunic that she held in her hands against his shoulder. Her cheeks were reddened and her eyes glazed over as one final tear glided along her skin. The flowers that they had collected were thrown haphazardly along the floor and the container that they had been kept in was at his side. It was filled with a bluish liquid. Loki watched as she took the fabric that she held and dipped it back into the plastic carton, soaking up more of the strange solution and positioning it back over his wound.

"Natalia," Loki murmured as he tried to find his voice. He rested his fingers along her forearm and she jumped slightly as she stared down at him. "What are you doing, little spider?"

"Loki!" the Black Widow beamed as relief flooded her features. "Your fever broke." The young god shifted his body as he cautiously inclined upward. A feeling of respite pervading him as he noted for the first time that he had returned to his Aesir form. "Be careful… you don't want to have a relapse."

"What is that you have in there?" the mischievous prince inquired as he took in his surroundings with a meticulous eye. "Did you use the flamedragons we picked? You don't know how many of them you're going to need."

"There are still plenty," Natasha divulged as she continued to keep pressure on the dampened tunic that she held against his shoulder. Loki could see that she had used more than half. "It was the only thing I could think of. I crushed them into some rainwater. You are lucky I'm so resourceful. You looked like you were at death's door."

"Is that what the tears were for?" Loki probed. "Were you afraid for me, little spider?" His voice was soft and breathy as he tucked a long red curl behind her ear. Natasha ignored his question as she stood from the ground.

"You seem well enough to hold the compress yourself," She stated firmly as she moved away from him and began to collect the discarded flowers and place them in a small pile next to her knapsack.

"Natalia," he entreated as he sat up even further. He felt surprisingly well. He moved the cloth from his arm as he surveyed his shoulder. The blisters were all but gone except for a very pale sheen of pinkish skin.

"I don't want to talk about it, not any of it," She told him without bothering to turn in his direction as her business like demeanor settled itself into place. "As soon as you think your well enough we need to get moving again. I need to get to my comrades and every second counts." Natasha tilted her head slightly so that her dark blue gaze met his for the barest of moments. "I'm glad that you're alright, Loki." Her voice was cool and held no sign of emotion but there was no missing the sentiment that filled her eyes.

"I'm well enough," Loki insisted as he moved to stand. "I'm a god, after all." He knew how badly it would hurt her if she somehow arrived too late to rescue her friends. And though he couldn't care less about either man. He would not let that happen. "If the storm has stopped than we should leave at once." With a snap of his magic, he dried her tunic and tossed it to her with a cocky grin. She cared about him. Enough to have shed tears over his illness. It was difficult for him to contain his glee at the thought.

"I think we should part ways once we reach Vanaheim," Natasha remarked out of the blue as he was putting on his leather vest. "I can find my way back to Asgard from there."

"What are you talking about?" Loki snapped, his mood instantly falling. "My bargain with you is that I would help you bring the cure to Midgard."

"Our bargain is that you would help me bring the cure to them and you have," the Black Widow insisted. "You don't have to actually step foot on Earth."

"If that were the case than this would be gone," the Trickster protested as he held his hand out in front of him, the flaming dragon a glaring sign that their bargain was far from complete. Natasha sighed as she seemed to realize that he was correct. "Sorry, little spider, but you will not be able to get rid of me until our deal is done." And if the young god had his way even then she would not be free of him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 –

A gentle breeze flew across from the east sending her long, ebony hair fluttering across her shoulder. It had been her suggestion for him to use a glamour spell on her as well in case the men who had followed them earlier had come back to town. This time Loki had given himself curly blonde hair that stopped just above his shoulders. They had gotten almost half way through the city of Vanaheim when the first signs of dusk began to settle over the land.

Natasha had barely spoken since they left the cave in Nidavellir. Loki had tried to fill the uncomfortable silence with stories from his youth. He wanted her to get to know him better. He knew that she felt something for him. People don't cry at the prospect of someone that they loathe dying. No, she cared for him. He knew that she did. But she refused to give in to her feelings. She declined to even acknowledge their existence at all. The young god couldn't help but assume that it had at least a little to do with the things that he had done. He desperately wanted to show her that there was more to him than just the would be dictator who had once threatened her life and the lives of her friends.

So he told her stories. He enlightened her with tales of the mischievous little boy and all the pranks that he had played as a child. He imparted accounts of his youthful adventures with his brother. One of which involved them both having to wear dresses which earned a delightful laugh from the Black Widow.

"Shall we stop here, little spider?" Loki inquired as they past yet another Inn.

"I was hoping we could push on and see if we can't make it out of the city all together," Natasha informed him in her stoic tone. He sighed in disappointment before nodding in agreement as they pressed on. He understood why she was in a rush to get to Asgard. It was the whole reason that she was here, to save her comrades. But the faster they completed the journey to Midgard meant the sooner that their bargain would be over. Loki hated the idea of being parted from her. It was inevitable he knew but that didn't make the knowledge any less detestable.

They trotted swiftly along the city's cobblestoned streets. Every step seemed like a step closer to their parting and Loki's thoughts began to turn more and more inward. His horse suddenly reared as a young boy darted across the roadway. Loki pulled tight on the reins and patted the steed's neck as he forced the animal to settle down. The child stood stark still in front of him apparently frozen in fear.

"You alright, boy?" Loki inquired as he dismounted, holding onto the reins as he moved towards him. "Are you deaf as well as stupid?" He reached out and touched his shoulder as the child's eyes locked with his before he resumed his mad dash to wherever he was going.

"Loki," Natasha admonished as she sat atop her stallion. "The poor kid must be scared to death. Must you always be so rude?"

The young prince turned his attention back to the gorgeous red-head as he began to protest her summation of him. "I was merely trying to…" His words froze in mid-sentence as he finally registered the lessening of weight along his belt. "That little brat just lifted my coin purse." Loki whipped his head back in the direction where the child had fled.

"What does it matter," the Black Widow advised calmly. "You can make more with a snap of your fingers. He probably needs it."

It was less than a heartbeat before Loki was off and running after the tiny delinquent. He wasn't even completely sure what possessed him as he darted through the throng of passersby along the sidewalk. He vaguely heard Natasha call after him but he caught sight of the small boy rounding the corner of a bakery shop and was determined to catch up with him. He turned down the alleyway but there was no sign of the kid as the young god moved swiftly toward the street at the other end. He stopped suddenly, the faintest of smiles ghosting across his lips.

"Wherever could he be," he drawled sarcastically as he waved his hand in the air. The metal containers that the child was hiding behind separated at his command revealing the small boy huddled in the corner. "As you can see you stole from the wrong person."

"I… I'm sorry," the child apologized nervously as he held out the leather pouch.

"Why are you stealing? Do you have no parents?" Loki snipped irritably but he made no motion to take the purse back.

"My mom's sick… here… I won't do it again," the boy fidgeted nervously as he extended his arm towards the trickster once more.

"Keep it," the young god waved his hand dismissively as he knelt down next to the boy. "You will be no help to your mother if you end up dead or in prison. There are easier ways to make money. I can teach you a spell."

"I don't do that stuff," the young child shook his head. "I don't have the talent."

"You most certainly do. I could sense the spark the moment you crossed my path," Loki revealed truthfully. "Has no one ever taught you?"

"My mom doesn't like magic?" the kid admitted as he fiddled with the coin purse in his fingers.

"Well, she will like this enchantment," the young prince chuckled. "Eh heh heh heh, I'm quite certain she won't complain at all if you use it. But don't go crazy mind you… just enough for what you need when you need it. It's never a good thing to draw attention to oneself."

Natasha appeared at the edge of the alley just as he finished teaching the little boy his new trick. Her eyebrow raised in curiosity as she observed the two of them. The child thanked him heartily before running back along passageway to the street in very high spirits. Loki took the reins of his black stallion as he remounted the horse.

"You keep surprising me," the Black Widow murmured softly at his side as they resumed their ride through the town.

As they passed along another Inn called the Silver Sword, it was the trickster's turn to be surprised as she suddenly informed him that she had changed her mind about stopping. The Black Widow advised in her stoic demeanor that she had decided that the time that they might save from riding straight through wasn't worth the risks that came with traveling in the dark.

After handing off their horses leads to the stablehand Loki strutted inside toward the Inn Keeper to request their rooms. He was very pleased that she had changed her mind. And he was even hopeful that he might be able to get her to say more than three words to him over their evening meal. There seemed to be the slightest change in her mood. Not that she had said very much to him but there was the faintest difference to her eyes. He couldn't quite explain it but it made him feel encouraged.

"I need two rooms and…" Loki advised the man behind the counter.

"We only need one." Natasha's voice interrupted as she stepped forward. "Pardon him, we've been travelling all day its obviously frazzled my husband's brain."

Loki stared at her in complete puzzlement as she took the key from the Inn Keeper's hand and proceeded to walk up the stairs towards the lodgings. He wasn't sure what to think. The truth be told he was afraid to even reflect on her possible reasoning's for fear of another devastating disappointment. Their room was the last one at the end of the hall. She tossed him the key as she leaned against the wall.

"You are better with the locks than I am," she stated coolly.

"I'm a little confused about why you did that? You know… interrupted me like that," Loki began as he opened the door and followed her into the chamber. He closed the door gently behind them and dispelled his glamour spells before continuing. "Is there someone following us? Do you think someone knows who I am? Did you see one of those men from the other day?"

The Black Widow shook her head as she moved towards the window of the room. She trailed her finger along the blinds as she peered out for a moment before turning back toward him.

"I really don't like surprises," She remarked off-handedly. "I like things regimented and easily categorized… easily controlled. It's part of my training. You used to be so easy for me to classify. But you haven't just thrown my perceptions of you for a loop. You've made me question myself. I like that even less."

"I know that you…" Loki attempted to speak but she raised her hand in the air for him to be quiet.

"I'm not finished," Natasha insisted, her dark blue eyes gazing at him intently. "I've been thinking about this nonstop since we left Nidavellir. All the reasons why we can't happen. I've told myself over and over. It would be a horrible mistake. But when I… when I thought you were dying I realized something and I don't think that I can unrealize it. No matter how inconvenient it is." She took a hesitant step away from the window. Her calm exterior beginning to fade as he could see the clear trepidation in her movements and the unmistakable warmth in her sapphire eyes. "Loki, this is… it's so difficult for me… I…"

"What is?" the young god prodded when her voice fell away without finishing her sentence. He tried not to let himself get his hopes too high as to exactly what she was trying to say to him but it was hard not to when she was looking at him that way. "What is it you want to tell me, little spider."

"I wanted to tell you that… I just… I want," Natasha stuttered out nervously. "I want you, Loki. I know I've been… confused… But can I… can I have you?"

"I'm right here, little spider," Loki grinned widely as he strutted toward her, closing the distance between them completely. "Just like I have been. If you want me all you have to do is take me."

Natasha moved forward and put her hands against his vest as she leaned up to seize his mouth with hers. The moment that her lips touched his all coherent thoughts fled from his mind. She wanted him and nothing was going to stop him from having her this time. His hands moved under the hem of her shirt and tunic and onto her bare skin. He relished the delight the action caused throughout her body as she whimpered softly against his mouth.

Loki pulled both garments up and over her head as he tossed them onto the floor before resuming their kiss. His mouth grazed down her jaw and throat while his fingers worked deftly on the buckle of her pants. If he had fallen into some sort of dream, Fates be praised that he never woke up.

Natasha placed her hands over his before pushing them aside as she proceeded to discard her slacks. She didn't hide her anxiousness from him. She stood there with her feelings plain on her face and shining in her deep blue eyes. She quickly pulled his vest off his shoulders and added it to the growing pile of clothes.

"You are so beautiful, Natalia," Loki whispered as his dark green eyes moved up and down her body appreciatively. She closed her eyes at his words as her hands glided up beneath his shirt, her fingernails grazing tantalizingly across his chest.

"Look at me and keep looking at me." Loki ordered. His voice was thick with need and his body was trembling visibly as he entwined his fingers in her luscious red curls. He was as nervous as she was and made no attempt to hide it. Although the seriousness of his gaze and the cocky tilt of his stance gave such an impression of strength and a domineering nature that if one were not close enough to see the shivers along his skin they would never guess how weak and desperate he was.

Her gaze locked with his, accepting the command without question. He could see the tremor along her soft, pink lips and the unguarded emotion in her sapphire eyes. She was as anxious for their joining as he was.

"I love those sweet blue eyes of yours," he breathed provocatively as he drank in the sight of her gorgeous body while she stood there clad in nothing but her lacy undergarments. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, little spider?"

He unhooked her bra and pulled the straps slowly down her arms until it fell quietly to the floor. Her full, heavy breasts rested softly against her chest as he cupped them in his hands. She gasped at the touch. Her eyes began closing at the sensation despite his previous request.

"Look at me, Natalia." His sultry voice beckoned her once more. She smiled as her blue iris's opened at his decree.

He had large hands but she filled them to overflowing. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples making her quiver with delight as the lush moan escaped her lips. He liked having her eyes on him. He wanted her to see the lust that darkened his face, his neediness and above all his love for her. His heart pounded as he hardened even more at the sounds of just how much his touch pleased her. He let his hands trail down her abdomen to her hips until his fingers hooked the edges of her panties. He crouched on the floor and tugged the lacy underwear all the way down as she stepped out of them.

"By the nines, how are you real," he gaped as he moved his eyes up and down her naked frame. "You are so beautiful, Natalia, and after tonight you are all mine." Then he pressed a kiss between her creamy hips. How he had longed to taste her. He devoured her greedily with his mouth, his hands firmly planted along her thighs as her legs wavered under his onslaught. "I will never get enough of you." He purred. She fisted a hand into his long, black hair. The fingers of her other hand digging into his shoulder as she tried to keep her balance while the intense burst of ecstasy began to wash over her.

"Oh my god… Loki… it's too much… oh god… it's so good." She cried out as her whimpers turned into the most delectable of keens.

He stood again, taking off his clothes in a rush of magic as he pulled her to him. He wanted to feel her breasts against his bare flesh. She stretched up and took his mouth in a greedy kiss. His hands clutched her backside, rocking his hips into her as he stroked her naked skin. He turned with her into the bed and sprawled out over her.

"My little spider," he breathed, his voice overcome by emotion. "The best is yet to come." Her hands gripped his shoulders as her hips lifted into his. He trailed wet, suckling kisses over her throat and down to her breast until he claimed the swollen nipple against his lips. She nearly lurched off the bed with a whimper of surprise and delight. He nipped and tasted every inch of her body until her sighs turned into ragged gasps for air. Her cries fueled his hunger, his desire to possess her and to be possessed in kind. They were meant to be together he felt it in the depths of his soul. It was his final thought before he joined his body to hers as wave after wave of rapture overtook them both.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 -

Loki lied along his side with his head propped on his elbow as he stared down at her sleeping form. His smile was beaming as he recalled every detail of the night before. "My Natalia," he whispered as he twisted his fingers playfully around a long, lush ringlet of her hair. She was breathtakingly beautiful. His dark green eyes moved up and down her naked body reliving every minute of their evening together and anxious for her to awaken to begin anew.

Natasha shifted her body so that she was lying on her back. Her eyelids began to flutter as she stretched her limbs languidly. Her sapphire eyes opened fully as she peered up at him. A long, slow smile spread across her face.

"I was hoping you would do that." Loki grinned happily as his dimples deepened. Never in his entire life could he remember feeling so blissful.

"Do what?" She puzzled with a furrowed brow. He could feel her fingertips glide lightly against his chest causing a delightful shiver along his skin.

"Wake up smiling." He mused as he captured a strand of her hair between his fingers, twirling it languidly against his thumb. His dark emerald eyes sparkling as he gazed at her with complete devotion.

"As opposed to?" Natasha smirked as she snuggled closer, hooking her leg around his lean muscular thigh.

"As opposed to waking up remembering what happened between us then pushing me out of the bed, grabbing your clothes and running for the door." Loki quipped as he ran his hand down her side and along her hip, cupping her backside as he pressed his body up against hers suggestively.

"Maybe I'll do that later." She teased, brushing her lips against his softly before pushing him onto his back and straddling his waist.

"Eh heh heh heh, what do you want to do now, my little spider?" Loki chuckled as he gazed up at her. His hands moved to caress her honey soft breasts. She arched in response to his touch, her neck tipping back and a sweet moan falling from her lips.

"I want to have my way with you," She bit her lip provocatively as she lifted her hips and guided herself down onto him. Loki groaned at the sensation of her body joining with his once more. It was like she was made for him. He had never experienced anything like it. "I want you to prove to me that last night wasn't a dream."

Loki watched as she pulled her tunic over her head, her lush red curls falling haphazardly over her shoulders as her dark blue eyes gazed up at him quizzically. It had been a wonderful morning. Even more amazing than the night before if that was possible.

"Are you going to be grinning at me like that from now on?" Natasha mused as she straightened the garment along her waist. She sauntered toward him and placed her hand against his cheek, tracing her finger along his right dimple. "Not that I'm complaining. You have a really adorable smile."

"Adorable!" Loki gaped in mock offense as he captured a lush red ringlet between his fingers. "The god of mischief is many things, my little spider, but adorable is not one of them." She pursed her lips together in deep thought as she glided her hands along his leather vest.

"If you say so… sunshine," She winked as she leaned up on her toes and kissed him softly. "I think we better get going. Don't you agree, Sunshine?" Natasha giggled as she moved away from him and picked up her knapsack.

"What is that?" the young god prodded as he attempted unsuccessfully to keep a stern expression on his face. "Why do you keep saying that one word?"

"I was just thinking why should I be the only one with a nickname," the Black Widow mused as she pulled the backpack up onto her shoulders. "And I think 'Sunshine' suits you at the moment or would you prefer 'cutie pie', 'pooky bear'?"

"Eh heh heh heh, now I know you're joking," he laughed as he gripped her hips and pulled her into him, capturing her lips in a greedy kiss.

"Paradise," Natasha whispered against his lips. "'Paradise' definitely would be a good fit for you."

Loki broke their kiss reluctantly. He knew that she was right and that they needed to continue their journey back to Asgard as soon as possible. Her friends were sick and every minute counted. He did not want her to go through the pain of losing one of them. He loved her too much to let her suffer through such agony if he could help it. Of course those where words that he didn't dare breath to her. He wasn't a fool. He knew her well enough to know that telling her that he loved her now would have the opposite effect than what one would hope for from saying those words. The last thing he wanted was to cause her to panic and retreat back into her icy veneer. She was with him now and that was all that mattered.

The next two days they moved swiftly along the terrain, traversing the mountainside with quick speed and even making camp once more in the old ruins of the Vanir capital as they had before. Of course, their evening in the temple was spent much differently than it had been originally. When the morning arrived Natasha insisted that he join her in the old bathhouse not that she had to do much prodding to get him to comply. Loki's dark green eyes gazed at the woman settled in his lap beneath the water, her legs still wrapped around his waist as she attempted to catch the breath that her climax from moments before had stolen from her. She brushed his wet locks away from his face before leaning in to kiss him once more.

"This is so weird," Natasha remarked wistfully as she rested her hands around his neck. "A good weird, don't get me wrong. Did you ever imagine when I arrived in Asgard that we would end up like this?"

"No… I never thought this would ever happen," Loki revealed as he brushed a damp curl behind her ear. "But I wanted it to… from the first moment that I ever saw you, my little spider, I wanted you."

"Now that you have me… what are you going to do with me," Natasha whispered coyly as she took his hand into her own, running her fingers along the intricate markings along his palm. "Another day at most and this will be gone and you'll be free. You won't be tied to me any longer."

"I don't need this mystical rune to tie me to you," the young god divulged, his voice soft and breathy as he gazed up at her. He had no desire for freedom. He didn't want to be away from her not even for a second. "You're firmly implanted in my heart, little spider, I lo…"

"Don't," the black widow shook her head as she placed her fingers along his lips to stop him from speaking. "We should get dressed." She pulled him toward her for a heated kiss before getting out of the bath and wrapping herself in the towel that he had conjured. Loki watched her carefully from the water, taking careful note of every little movement that she made as she dried off and began to get into her clothes. She was quiet and he worried for a moment that his near admission might have made her start having second thoughts about being with him at all. She was even less fond of giving in to her feelings than he was and he didn't want to push her away.

Natasha pulled her tunic over her head as she turned her attention back to the mischievous prince still sitting in the bath. "What are you waiting for, sunshine?" she winked. Loki shook his head and laughed as he stepped from the tub. His clothes returned instantly as he placed his foot against the tiles. He was happy to see that her mood had not soured as they mounted their horses and began the final stretch toward Asgard.

As they got closer and closer to the golden city, a thought occurred to the young god that he had not considered since their journey began. "How is my mother planning on sending you back to Midgard?" Loki inquired as he trotted along at her side. "I doubt Heimdall is going to be willing to perform the task especially since the All-Father has every being in his service searching for me."

"She told me that she would hide the means to take us back to earth near the same cave where we left," the Black Widow informed him. "Frigga said that you would feel it when you were close enough and that you would know what to do. It was all rather cryptic. Do you have any idea what she was referring to?"

"Not really," the young god advised. "Whatever it is my mother must have hidden it magically. That is the only way I can imagine that I would be able to sense it as she claims." It was funny how much things could change in a couple of weeks' time. When this rune first appeared on his hand he had a lot of choice words that he wanted to give his mother. He had been livid with anger and now all he could think of to do was to thank her. The Queen had given him much more than his freedom.

Loki was the first to dismount as they reached the hidden cave. He began to strut around the outside trying to figure out exactly what Frigga had been referring to. He placed his hands along the rock trying to see if he could sense anything mystical or out of the ordinary but he had no such luck. He began to pace back and forth as he stared at the stony mountainside. "Perhaps she wasn't able to leave whatever it was. I don't feel anything. I have no idea what she was talking about." He snipped as he continued to strut around the small space.

He began to walk back toward his black stallion when suddenly he felt the slightest tingle along his arm. His dark green eyes stared down at the ground beneath his feet before he knelt down and placed his hand on the hard packed dirt. "I don't believe it," he gaped as a wicked grin began to form along his lips. "I had forgotten how powerful my mother was."

Loki closed his eyes as he cast his spell. The dirt started to bubble up as the large stone hidden beneath the surface began to rise until it was hovering a few feet in the air. The tesseract was glowing. The blue colors of the jewel swirled in an awesome display of its power. Natasha slid from her mare as she sauntered toward him, a look of awe in her sapphire eyes. The trickster couldn't imagine how livid Odin must have been when he discovered that this mystical piece was missing. With the rainbow bridge broken this was practically the only way to move through the realms that didn't require the use of dark magic. Frigga had taken a great risk in procuring this for him. He couldn't understand how she could have so much faith in him after all this time. After everything he had done. He suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of guilt for how he had shunned her since his capture. He had been too afraid to trust in her love for him. That she could have truly loved him knowing what he was. But how could he possibly doubt it now.

The young god felt her fingertips against his shoulder as he turned toward her with a start. Her dark blue eyes stared up at him thoughtfully as she spoke. "Are you alright, Loki?" He nodded slowly as he reached out and took hold of the tesseract in his hands.

"Grab hold of the other end," Loki commanded regally as he prepared to begin the enchantment that would take them to Midgard. He couldn't deny that he was nervous. What would happen when this was all over? When her friends were well? He was not exactly going to be welcomed on her planet. He may be technically free when their bargain was done but the All-Father would still be looking to recapture him, he was sure. And he doubted Shields plans for him would be any different. What kind of life could he offer her? Did she even want one with him? He wished he had more time with her alone to convince her that she could trust what was happening between them. He knew that she still felt unsure.

Natasha gripped the handle as he had instructed, smiling softly at him before he cast the spell. A flash of light enveloped them and within seconds they appeared in the control room of the helicarrier. His dark green eyes glanced around as he took in the sight of the SHIELD agents busy at their workstations. Fury was a few feet away. His eyebrow rose as he glared at the two of them with his one good eye.

"It took you long enough, kiddo," Fury remarked as he moved towards her. "So where is it?"

"How are they?" Natasha inquired. The emotion was evident in her voice as she took off her backpack and tossed it to the director.

"Still alive," Nick remarked coolly as he opened the knapsack and glanced inside before tossing it to one of the agents at his side. "Give this to Banner." The man nodded and dashed off to fulfill his request.

Loki felt a tingle along his palm as he gazed down at his hand. The flame dragon slowly dissipated from his skin until there was no trace that it was ever there. So that was it, he thought gloomily, the bargain was completed. He was free.

"I wasn't expecting you to bring him with you," Fury advised stonily as he crossed his arms at his sides. "Was that wise?"

"It was part of Frigga's deal. I had no choice in the matter, sir," the Black Widow stated in her businesslike tone. The young god looked up from his hand as he observed the two of them more closely. She had distanced herself from him, he realized. She was no longer at his side but was standing a few feet away. No closer to Fury just farther away from him. It sparked his ire. Was she ashamed of him? "She wouldn't help if I didn't agree to guarantee his freedom."

"You expect me to just let this guy wonder around our planet free and clear?" the director rasped.

"As if there was anything you could do to stop me," Loki snapped, his grip on the tesseract tightening in his anger. "You puny little mortals, I will go wherever I please."

"And you want to try explaining to me again the logic behind your stupid ass decision to bring this nutcase with you?" the director drawled.

"I told you I had no choice," Natasha insisted before turning her attention to the young god. Her lips pursed in annoyance. "He isn't going to try anything. He's not here to hurt anyone. Are you, Loki?"

She had no choice. That was the second time she said it and he didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. Loki stared down at the Tesseract and with a quick spell he made the mystical stone disappear, safely hidden away where no one but him could ever retrieve it. His dark green eyes gazing back up at her. "My plans are my own business," he stated flatly.

"Well, that's encouraging," Fury interjected sarcastically. "This was your bright idea… you agreed to it. You babysit him. If anything happens, Romanoff, it's on your head." Loki watched as the director walked out of the control room.

"What the hell was that?" Natasha probed as she glared at him coldly.

"I could ask you the same question, little spider." Loki replied indignantly as he loomed over her.

"What are you talking about," She seethed under her breath. It was obvious that she didn't want anyone else in the room to hear their conversation. "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me? You act like you don't even want me here and then you ask 'what's gotten into me'?" Loki exasperated as he brushed his fingers through his long, ebony locks in his irritation.

"You're being ridiculous," Natasha admonished as she glanced around her. Her voice dropped lower as she whispered her next words, the sight of which only made the young god even more perturbed. "What did you expect me to do? I suppose the first thing I should have said to him was that we had sex."

"Don't mock me, little spider," Loki forewarned as his eyes narrowed. "We both know that you were trying to keep your distance from me. Congratulations, I'm sure Fury thinks that you hate me just as much as he does, maybe you do." The black widow shook her head before brushing past him.

"I'm going to check how Banner is coming with that cure," Natasha advised as she reached the doorway. "I don't have time for your childishness."

Loki stood there frozen, his mouth in a frown as he stared after her. His dark green eyes gazed down at his empty palm once more. He was free and clear. He didn't have to stay here if he didn't want to. He hated this realm and every single piddling little mortal on it. Well, almost. He wasn't being childish, he protested to himself. He just wanted her to acknowledge that she cared for him. Was that so wrong? He exhaled audibly as he moved through the archway in search of Banner's laboratory.


End file.
